Press Digest for Tuesday November 29, 2011

5^min

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.

Berri to As-Safir: Cabinet needs to be working, not resigning

Speaker Nabih Berri told As-Safir daily that the cabinet needs to be working, rather than resigning, at this critical period in Lebanon.

The newspaper told Berri that a scientific study prepared by British company Scatroom revealed that abundant amounts of gas and oil were detected at sea along the coast from Beirut to Jounieh. Berri called on the cabinet to take prompt actions, avoid procrastination and invest in Lebanon’s offshore wealth.

A well-informed source told the newspaper that Berri was mandated by Hezbollah to contact PM Najib Mikati in the upcoming hours to find an acceptable formula by all parties to fund the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

Why Hariri was a no-show? Why Gemayel changed course?

Sources told Al-Anbaa newspaper that the reason former PM Saad Hariri did not make a personal appearance during Tripoli’s festival on Sunday, aside from the dangerous security situation, is that Hariri wishes to avoid provoking PM Najib Mikati in his hometown.

Sources close to March 14 parties told the daily that the head of the Kataeb party Amin Gemayel was on his way to Tripoli to participate in the festival when he received a phone call and changed coursed.

“When Gemayel arrived to Chekka tunnel, he received a surprising phone call after which he asked his driver to change course and head back to Beirut”, sources added. The sources did not reveal the identity of the caller or even the nature of the call, because of the serious security repercussions that it might entail.

Nahhas: The ministry finalized wage raise issue

Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas told As-Safir daily that the ministry completed the study regarding the issue of wages before the end of the month, calling on all parties to assume their responsibilities and start working as soon as possible.

“We have laid a foundation that should be acceptable to both workers and employees. This issue is surely more important that any Tribunal and should be given the priority by the government, which must pass it without delay”, Nahhas said.

Speaking on the wage raises proposed, Nahhas stressed that the raise was inspired by the former decision taken by the cabinet. “The minimum wage will be increased to 750,000 LBP and all employees will be benefit from a raise that will not exceed 300,000 LBP”, Nahhas was quoted as saying.

Jarrah: We will boycott meetings until Kenaan apologizes

Future bloc MP Jamal Jarrah told Al-Liwaa daily that the Members of Parliament will continue boycotting the meetings of the Finance and Budget Committee. “We will stand our ground until the head of the committee Ibrahim Kenaan apologizes to Fouad Siniora and stops using the committee as a political platform to attack Future bloc MPs”, Jarrah said.

Speaking on the accusations made by Kenaan targeting Future bloc MPs that they are against parliamentary oversight and accountability, Jarrah said: “We do not want to use the committee as a pretext to lie and mislead the public opinion or attack a certain party.”

Jarrah was quoted as saying: “We dare him to speak if he has any evidence or documents. We are sure that he has nothing but ill-founded political rhetoric.”

Jarrah urged Speaker Nabih Berri to intervene and settle this issue once and for all. “Berri should prevent MP Kenaan from using the committee as a platform for his verbal assaults”, Jarrah said.

Mikati sources: Mikati, Hezbollah and Rai expected to meet

Sources close to PM Najib Mikati told As-Safir daily that he is open to all suggestions and possible solutions to solve the issue of funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in a way that will stabilize the country.

The sources were quoted as saying that PM Mikati is likely to contact Hezbollah, while other sources expected that Mikati might meet Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai on Tuesday.