Arab press

AN-NAHAR (LEBANON)

Peace could create ’new realities’

There were indications that Syria-Israeli negotiations have a chance of making progress in the coming weeks, as a French envoy who visited Damascus last week did not rule out a meeting between Syrian President Bashar Assad and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Paris next month.

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Meqdad said he expected a peace treaty with Israel will create “new realities” in Syria’s relationship with Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the Palestinian Hamas movement.

AS-SAFIR (LEBANON)

Rice visit marked by welcome calm

Contrary to her previous visits to Lebanon in the past three years, especially during the 2006 war, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s visit was politically calm.

Miss Rice spoke of her country’s positive intentions, readiness to help Lebanon politically and militarily, the need to form a Lebanese government as quickly as possible, and she affirmed U.S. support for the Doha accord. She also spoke about the need to address the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms.

AL-KHALEEJ (UNITED ARAB EMIRATES)

Iran warned against defiance

President Bush and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will continue talks with Iran over its nuclear program, but also warned of added sanctions if Tehran continues to be stubborn.

Meanwhile, Iranian press reports said that Iran withdrew $75 billion from European banks to avoid the money being frozen under new Western sanctions against Iranian bank accounts.

AL-SEYASSAH (KUWAIT)

Britain alerts UAE of terror risk

Britain warned its citizens in the UAE there is a high risk of a terrorist attack in this oil-rich, economic hub Gulf state, which has a large British expatriate community.

A British travel advisory informed its citizens there to maintain a high level of security awareness, especially in public places.

AL-QUDS (EAST JERUSALEM)

Sarkozy encourages final settlement

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said that Paris is seeking to encourage the Palestinian and Israeli governments to reach a final settlement before the end of the year and stressed there can be no peace without Jerusalem being the capital of two states: Palestine and Israel.

He added that Jewish settlement activities are basic obstacles to peace and called on Israel to end the settlement construction and for lifting the blockade on the Gaza Strip.

AL-GHAD (JORDAN)

Iraqi refugees begin returning home

Iraqi families who resided in Jordan have started to return to their country after security has been restored to some parts of Iraq, according to the Iraqi ambassador in Amman, Saad Jassem al-Heyyani.

The envoysaid these families have started their return home after the end of the school year, adding the Iraqi Embassy was arranging group repatriation for those families seeking to go back to their homes and that funds have been allocated to assist them.

Compiled by Sana Abdallah of the Middle East Times in Amman, Jordan.