Press Digest for Sunday June 16, 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.

• Sources: PM-Designate Salam to form a new government after one week          

Sources close to Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam reported on Sunday that caretaker Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil along with the former minister Tony Karam, dispatched by the Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, visited Salam's residence in Msaytbeh, noting that they supported the efforts exerted by Salam to form a new government.           

The guests of PM-Designate told An-Nahar daily that the formation of the new government will begin after one week.          

They added that "it will be a 'neutral' government" that do not take into account the demands of the March 8 and March 14 coalitions since "the numerous conditions set by Hezbollah and Change and Reform Bloc Leader MP Michel Aoun cannot be met".      
       

• Charbel: Lebanon's incidents are tightly linked to Syrian situation             

Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel stressed that the incidents taking place in Lebanon are tightly linked to the Syrian situation, noting that the security forces are fulfilling their duties across the Lebanese regions.           

In this regard, Charbel told Acharq al-Awsat newspaper that the recent abductions are not politically motivated but aim however at blackmailing the victims and gain money.          

Charbel added that the security forces are exerting tireless efforts, pointing out that they arrested over 65 persons for committing criminal acts in various regions.               

• Sources: Delegation of March 14 coalition to submit letter to Sleiman          

Al-Hayat daily reported that a delegation of the March 14 coalition is set to submit on Tuesday a letter to President Michel Sleiman, tackling the military intervention of Hezbollah in Syria as well as the repercussions of the Syrian crisis on Lebanon.          

Well-informed sources close to the March 14 coalition said that a copy of the letter will also be submitted to the United Nations and to the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States.           

• Sources: Sleiman briefs UN General Secretariat on Syrian shells targeting Arsal          

Sources told Al-Hayat newspaper that President Michel Sleiman asked the permanent mission of Lebanon to the United Nations to brief the UN General Secretariat on the shells launched Wednesday by the Syrian regime on the town of Arsal.         

This as caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour was reluctant to meet Sleiman's demand since he is convinced that the mutual agreements between Lebanon and Syria prevent him from taking such step.             

Official sources also reported that the said letter aims at briefing the UN on the incidents taking place in Lebanon, adding that "it is not a complaint filed to the UN Security Council".