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.
The cabinet
will hold a session on Wednesday afternoon at the Baabda palace with the
electricity issue as the main focus of discussions.
In this
context,
An-Nahar daily reported that a meeting was held on Tuesday night to
coordinate views ahead of the cabinet session, adding that the meeting included
Ministers Gebran Bassil and Ali Hassan Khalil and the Hezbollah’s chief
political advisor Hussein Khalil.
Sources
attending the meeting abstained from revealing the meeting’s outcome but
pointed out an agreement between the cabinet components to cool down the
situation averting the falling apart of the composition that should never
disintegrate.
According to
an-Nahar, the issue of leasing power-generating ships will be among the last
items of the cabinet agenda and might not be addressed as well during the
session.
While
well-informed sources expected that the appointments will move forward,
President Michel Sleiman told An-Nahar that the proposal put forth by Justice
Minister Shakib Kortbawi regarding the position of the head of the Higher
Defense Council will not be tabled today.
President
Michel Sleiman explained to
an-Nahar that he is looking forward to discuss the
electricity issue during the cabinet session in a way that the issue does not
further exacerbate.
As he
confirmed that he is not siding with any particular party or adopting an
evasive attitude, Sleiman told An-Nahar that he always chooses transparency
over doubts and so does the majority of ministers. The president also supported
the position of PM Najib Mikati saying “he considered the prices are high so he
raised the alarm.”
On the other
hand, Sleiman denied the infiltration of Syrian troops into Lebanon on Tuesday.
Al-Joumhouria
daily revealed that the Change and Reform bloc weighed different options on
Tuesday, among which is calling for the discussion of the electricity issue at
the beginning of the Wednesday cabinet session.
According to
the daily, if the president and prime minister do not accept the bloc’s demand,
the relevant ministers will withdraw from the session.
Another
option is to wait for discussions to naturally touch on the electricity issue
knowing that it is among the last items of the cabinet agenda. However, if the
president adjourns the session before discussing the issue, the bloc’s
ministers will boycott the cabinet as previously done.
Sources
close to the bloc reported that it has left room for discussions ahead of the
session.
Speaker
Nabih Berri confirmed to
an-Nahar that he has not yet intervened to solve the
crisis recently raging over the cabinet, stressing that he will wait for one or
two weeks before intervening and then “the cabinet will hear the appropriate
answer.”
As he
confirmed that there is no personal dispute with PM Najib Mikati, Berri
explained that he did not call him for the past three days because currently
there is nothing requiring talks or phone calls.
Al-Joumhouria
reported that the LAF arrested on Tuesday night 10 people, 4 Lebanese and 6
Syrians, in al-Qaa, as they were riding a van and pickup truck loaded with
heavy weapons and ammunition
The Lebanese
arrested were identified as: Ibrahim Raid, Abl Karim Raid, Hassan Azzaldine,
Ibrahim Azzaldine and they all hail from
the town of Arsal.