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 told
An-Nahar newspaper on
Friday that the meeting held yesterday between the EU Ambassador to Lebanon
Angelina Eichhorst and Hezbollah's International Relations official Sayyed
Ammar Moussawi was "honest".
Moussawi slammed
the EU's decision to blacklist Hezbollah's military wing, describing it as an "insult"
to the Lebanese people and to many Arab countries.
"No
one can condemn me with one hand, then extend the other to shake hands and everyone
knows that Hezbollah's political and military wings are one entity," Moussawi
said after the meeting.
Sources close to Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam told
As-Safir daily that external factors are affecting Lebanon's internal affairs,
mainly the formation of a new government, noting that the European Union's
decision to blacklist Hezbollah's military wing has further
complicated the mission of Salam.
The same sources also reported that Salam admonished Speaker
Nabih Berri for nominating MP Saad Hariri as Prime Minister, pointing out that
Berri's stance sent out a "political" message to Salam indicating
that he will not provide further support to the mission of the PM-Designate in
forming a new government.
The sources added that the new cabinet should abide by the
dissociation policy in regards to the political, economic, and security
problems, calling on all the Lebanese political parties to waiver their
preconditions and to launch dialogue in a bid to serve the country's interests.
Well-informed
sources reported that the extension of the mandates of Lebanese Armed Forces
Commander Jean Kahwaji and Lebanese army Chief of Staff Major General Walid
Salman will be announced on Monday as the Higher Defense Council will be
holding a session at the Baabda Palace.
The same sources
told
An-Nahar newspaper that the concerned authorities have agreed on the said extension
ahead of President Michel Sleiman's visit to the United States.
The sources
also reported that caretaker Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn has finalized a
decree that aims at extending the mandates of Kahwaji and Salman pending the
return of President Sleiman to Beirut in order to sign it with caretaker Prime
Minister Najib Mikati.
Change and Reform Bloc Leader MP Michel Aoun is expected to
hold a press conference today whereby he will tackle several files related to
political, social, economic and security issues.
In this regard, well-informed sources told
Al-Joumhouria
daily that MP Aoun will take a "very important" decision.
No further details were provided.