Press Digest for Friday May 25, 2012

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                              

• Mikati says cabinet resignation tabled for discussion       

PM Najib Mikati confirmed to al-Liwaa daily that the issue of the cabinet’s resignation will be tabled for discussion.    

Within this context, Mikati announced “I have accepted the task of forming a cabinet because I see myself on a rescue mission. However, I cannot leave the country in a state of vacuum - this should not be mistaken as ‘[power] grabbing', the matter is not a [power] game  that I am not good at. I will only see to it that the country remains unified, knowing that I still enjoy the confidence of the parliament.”           

• Bassil: Do they want a cabinet of “Takfirists”instead?       

In a statement to al-Akhbar daily, Energy Minister Gebran Bassil spoke out against The March 14 call for the cabinet to resign, wondering why they would want to topple the cabinet, "Is it because they want to replace it with a cabinet of 'Takfirists', anarchy and idleness? A cabinet to annihilate the army? Or a Free Syrian Army cabinet?”          

• Hezbollah says facts related to Aleppo abduction become clear     

Sources close to Hezbollah revealed that facts related to the kidnapping of Lebanese citizens in Aleppo have become clear, namely the place in which the abductees are being kept.     

The sources told al-Liwaa daily that the kidnapped men are safe and that the identity of the abductors has been revealed, in a clear reference to the Free Syrian Army.                                  

• Jumblatt: Entering a state of vacuum without dialogue is pointless      

National Struggle Front leader MP Walid Jumblatt reiterated his opposition on bringing down the cabinet, he told al-Akhbar daily.  “Entering a state of vacuum without dialogue and frankness is pointless” he said.   

In turn, sources close to Jumblatt said that the latter welcomes President Michel Suleiman's call for dialogue, stressing the importance of the cabinet’s survival in this current phase to preserve Lebanon’s stability.                               

• Security official fears Aleppo abduction could last longer than expected     

In a statement to al-Liwaa, a high-ranking security official expects that the kidnapping of the Lebanese pilgrims in Aleppo may last longer than expected, given the conditions and countermeasures set in those regard.  He added, that negotiations over their release is not as speedy a process as one would think.    
The official voiced fear that the kidnapping of the Lebanese pilgrims will be similar to that of the seven Estonians who were released several months after being abducted.