The following are summaries of today's major stories
published in the Arabic press. LBCI does not edit press digest articles for
content, giving English-language readers insight into the various views
expressed in newspapers across the Arab world.
According to special information made available to
Al-Liwaa
daily, no drastic changes were applied to Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas’ new
wages plan, except that he did not mention anything related to transportation
allowances which he had earlier introduced to the core of his wage plan,
rejected by the Shura Council.
According to the same information, the economic bodies will
attend the Price Index Committee meeting armed with the consensual decision
reached with the GLC at Baabda palace. The Bodies’ insistence on the
implementation of the consensual decision stems from the positive atmosphere
that prevailed over the Rabieh and Serail meetings.
In turn,
An-Nahar quoted Jacques Sarraf, former president of
the Association of Lebanese Industrialists and one of the economic bodies’
poles, as saying that what matters for the employers and workers is to maintain
a unified and homogeneous position grounded upon the agreement inked between
both production sides.
As-Safir daily learned on Wednesday that Speaker Nabih Berri
met last Saturday with Change and Reform Bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan, in the presence
of his political aid Minister Ali Hassan Khalil. The daily added that, during
the meeting, Berri called General Michel Aoun and told him that it is important
to combine efforts in order to quickly break the vicious circle in which the
wages plan is going round.
Berri later sent his aid to Rabieh to hold a meeting with
Aoun, in the presence of Kanaan, during which they discussed possible solutions
for the wages issue. The meeting also decided that delegations of the GLC and
economic bodies will visit Aoun to resume discussions while Berri called PM
Najib Mikati to brief him on the latest developments, as reported by the daily.
Al-Akhbar daily quoted National Struggle Front Leader MP
Walid Jumblatt on Wednesday as saying that the cabinet of PM Najib Mikati has
spared the country sedition and vacuum, stressing the importance of its
survival.
Jumblatt confirmed that there is no need to reconcile between
him and Change and Reform Bloc Leader MP Michel Aoun since there is no dispute
between them, criticizing the popularity of Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas,
particularly in the wages issue.
Commenting on his ties with Hezbollah, Jumblatt denied that
he requested an appointment with Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, explaining that the
only meetings held with the Party are of regional and security nature and aim
at preserving stability in mixed areas.
Jumblatt stressed the importance of dialogue with Hezbollah
in order to spare the country the repercussions of the events in Syria, adding
that the problem lies in the fact that the Party is clung to its positions.
The PSP leader added that Assistant Secretary of State for
Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman has voiced a similar position, adding that
“Americans call for dialogue with Hezbollah as they praise Mikati’s management
of political issues, which is a major shift comparing with their position one year
ago.”
Commenting on the electoral law, Jumlatt endorsed
proportional representation “in an integrated basket” which means, “the
elimination of political sectarianism, the election of parliament on
no-sectarian basis and the election of a Senate where all sects are
represented”. “This is the implementation of the Taif accord”, he elaborated.
An-Nahar daily reported on Wednesday that preparations were
intensified ahead of the visit of U.N. Chief Ban Ki Moon to Beirut at the end
of this week.
Ban will also attend a UN conference in Beirut on “Reform and
Transition to Democracy in the Arab world”, accompanied with Arab and foreign
officials.
The daily quoted sources close to Hezbollah as saying that
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah will be delivering a speech on Saturday in which he is
expected to address the latest internal and external political developments,
and will likely touch on Ban Ki-Moon’s visit to Lebanon which coincides with
the speech timing.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will arrive in
Beirut on Friday to participate in a conference on “Reform and Transition to
Democracy in the Arab world” whose sessions will be inaugurated by U.N. Chief
Ban Ki-Moon on Sunday at the ESCWA headquarters.
In this context,
An-Nahar daily reported that Davutoglu will
hold a series of talks that will include President Michel Sleiman, Speaker
Nabih Berri and PM Najib Mikati.
The talks will likely focus on the situation in Lebanon and
the repercussions of the Syrian events on the Lebanese security and political
situation.
The Turkish official will also touch on the preliminary
agreement inked between Lebanon and Cyprus.
In turn, diplomatic sources close to the opposition told
Al-Liwaa that Davutoglu might hold meetings with several March 14 figures.