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.
Works and Transportation Minister Ghazi Aridi told
As-Safir daily that he is not concerned with the negative rumors being spread about him. “In principal, a minister is asked to implement the cabinet’s decision with the funds agreed during its sessions by a unanimous vote”, Aridi said.
Aridi stressed that he will not fall short on fulfilling his commitments to the Lebanese people and neglect their interests “from Akkar, to Danniyeh, to the last town in Lebanon”.
“How come you agreed on the money advances in October and now you are stalling the decision issued in August to give advances?” Aridi wondered, “Is it possible that the advances of August exceed the expenditure ceiling, while those issued in October are flawless?”
Interior Minister Marwan Charbel told
Al-Joumhouria daily that the control room began normal operations on Monday. The newspaper quoted Charbel as saying that no one is above the law and everyone that attempts to break law 140 will face the consequences, hoping that he wouldn’t have to resort to such measures.
Charbel said that he will issue a memorandum regarding the do’s and don’ts, warning against the disclosure of secrets. “The applied law gives way for a number of sanctions similar to those applied when the banking secrecy, the secret to Lebanon’s financial lure, is breached”, Charbel said.
Charbel added that work is underway to promote the citizen’s capacity to file any complaint through the phone, stressing that the control room has been provided with $4 million worth of equipment.
Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi told
Al-Joumhouria daily that there is no plan to solely subside diesel, adding that his ministry is cooperative and endorses a draft law presented by the Ministry of Social Affairs to support the poor.
“This draft law will subsidize all basic commodities and staple food, meaning all things that are burdening the Lebanese citizen nowadays”, Safadi said.
Asked about whether one of the ministries wishes to subsidize diesel, Safadi said: “In that case the issue is put forth before the cabinet and it is up to the Prime Minister to make the convenient decision.”
Future bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat told
Al-Liwaa daily that Speaker Nabih Berri is working to protect the government, turning the parliamentary session into a Q&A session, thus contradicting the Parliament’s statute.
“The government did not answer the question about how the General Security issues two passports with two different names for one person”, Fatfat said.
Fatfat stressed that Lebanon’s foreign policy is taken in Damascus and not in Beirut, adding that PM Najib Mikati’s resignation is not in his hands. The newspaper quoted Fatfat as saying that in the end Mikati will find excuses and pretexts to justify the decision of not funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), “a decision that lies in the hands of Hezbollah and Syria”.
The founder and director of the Syrian Human Rights Observatory Rami Abdulrahman that the Syrian opposition is one united around one goal which is to overthrow the regime of President Bashar Assad. “The Syrian opposition is seeking to transform the Syrian regime and turn it from a dictatorship to a democracy”, Abdulrahman told
Al-Mustaqbal daily.
On the eve of the meeting between the leadership of the Syrian opposition with British officials in London, Abdulrahman stressed that the opposition overcame the impediment of divergence in points of view. “Soon the opposition will announce one common vision for the future of Syria”, Abdulrahman said.
Abdulrahman warned Syrian rebels against falling in the trap of sectarianism, emphasizing the importance of sending Arab and international observers without imposing any pre-conditions. “I believe that the Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz can end the blood-bath in Syria and provide safe harbor for the Syrian people”, Abdulrahman added.
Abdulrahman said that, for the moment, he will abstain from visiting Beirut fearing to be assassinated or kidnapped.