Press Digest for Saturday May 11, 2013

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.

• Future Movement sources: Forming a de facto cabinet before the 15th of May is impossible             

Sources close to March 8 forces told Al-Akhbar newspaper that House Speaker Nabih Berri will include on the agenda of the General Authority session various electoral proposals according to their chronological order, pointing out that the Orthodox Gathering’s electoral draft will not be the first item on the agenda.
                     
As for the formation of the cabinet, sources close to the Future Movement told Al-Akhbar newspaper that forming a de facto government before holding the General Authority session is impossible, adding that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia did not exert any pressure on the Head of the National Struggle Front MP Walid Jumblatt to agree on the formation of such a cabinet.                    

• Berri to call for voting upon the Orthodox Gathering’s electoral draft

A parliamentary source told Al-Joumhouria newspaper that if deputies did not agree on an electoral law in the few coming days, before the General Authority session, House Speaker Nabih Berri will call for voting upon the Orthodox Gathering’s electoral draft since it was agreed upon in the parliamentary subcommittee’s sessions.             

In this regard, sources ruled out that this draft law gets the majority of the votes seemingly since the Future Bloc deputies and other March 14 deputies might leave the session, making this session lose its quorum.               

In this context, the newspaper noted that Speaker Berri is currently resorting to various possibilities in order to reach a consensual electoral law pointing out that if none of these possibilities worked out, the only choice that remains for the parliament is to prolong its mandate.                       

• MP Mashnouk: Efforts are underway to reach a consensual and logical electoral law           

Future Bloc MP Nouhad Mashnouk told Al-Akhbar newspaper that his Bloc will not participate in the General Authority session scheduled on the 15h of May if the Orthodox Gathering’s electoral draft were set as the first item on the session’s agenda.                 

MP Mashnouk said that efforts are being exerted with all political parties, among them the Lebanese Forces, in order to reach an agreement in regards to the Hybrid law.                 

• US diplomat to arrive in Lebanon next week 

     
Diplomatic sources told Al-Joumhouria newspaper that a US envoy will be arriving in Lebanon next week to meet with various Lebanese officials.

In this regard the newspaper said that the diplomat is an assistant of the US Secretary of State John Kerry adding that he will be meeting with the Lebanese President Michel Sleiman, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam.