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.
Security sources told
Al-Joumhouria newspaper that the internal security forces unveiled a plot to assassinate a Lebanese security official in Achrafieh; this prompted the relevant security agencies to take the necessary precautionary measures .
The sources added that it is more likely that the ISF intelligence Chief Col. Wissam Hassan is targeted and not Internal Security Forces Director General Ashraf Rifi. Al-Joumhouria mentioned that the ISF refused to give any further information about the plan.
- Times magazine: Qatar and Saudi Arabia will fund the Free Syrian Army
Times magazine revealed that Arab League Chief and Qatari Prime Minister are to present an Arab plan for Syria to the United Nations.
Nabil al-Arabi and Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al-Thani will depart to New York on Saturday.
"We will hold a meeting with the UN Security Council on Monday to seek ratification of the Arab League decision on Syria," for President Bashar al-Assad to hand power to his deputy, Arabi told reporters at the league’s Cairo-based headquarters.
On the other hand Times quoted sources from the Syrian opposition saying that Qatar and Saudi Arabia agreed to start funding the current Syrian Free Army to buy weapons and ammunition.
The sources added that a secret meeting was held between opposition figures and Qatari officials to discuss the steps of the funding as well as the weapons needed to fight Assad’s regime.
As-Safir newspaper revealed that the Minister of Foreign Affairs has already prepared a list of 86 diplomats ready to occupy vacant position in the ministry as a plan to accomplish the administrative appointments.
Diplomatic sources told the newspaper that the list will be sent to the cabinet for approval as it is expected to get the green light within few days.
The sources added that once the administrative appointments are done the minister will start discussing the appointment of 69 new Lebanese ambassador abroad, revealing that political clashes will erupt between several political groups and parties.
Well informed sources told
As-Safir newspaper that a Libyan diplomatic delegation is visiting Beirut very soon to provide the Lebanese government with the latest report regarding the investigation on Imam Moussa Sadr’s fate.
The sources added that important documents were burned and lost in the clashes that occurred lately between the rebels and Muammar Gaddafi’s forces thus it became harder to reveal the hidden information regarding Sadr’s imprisonment.
As-Safir revealed that the Libyan delegation has previously mentioned that Sadr was still alive until 1994 in one of Gaddafi’s most secret prison.
An-Nahar newspaper revealed that PM NajibMikati will visit Turkey during the last week of February as he received an official invitation from his Turkish counterpart Erdogan.
Turkish sources told the newspaper that Mikati’s visit is purely political to strengthen ties between Lebanon and Turkey and the cooperation between both states.