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.
Caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour welcomed the Russian
initiative concerning the action on Syria, stressing that Lebanon supports any peaceful solution for the
Syrian crisis, without negatively affecting the region, especially Lebanon.
In a statement to
al-Joumhouria Newspaper, Mansour said that
any initiative that rules out regional war is positive; noting that launching
war against Syria will have severe repercussions on neighboring countries
and will wreak havoc on the region.
Commenting on the evacuation of foreign nationals from
Lebanon, Mansour said that the situation does not impose the evacuation of the said
nationals, stressing that all foreign citizens living on Lebanese territories
are protected by the government and the security apparatuses.
Al-Joumhouria Daily reported that international powers
are exerting strong pressure on local authorities urging them to accelerate the
cabinet formation process, since the latest developments on the local and
regional scenes need the existence of a cabinet with full prerogatives capable
of handling various issues and taking important decisions.
In this context, the Daily noted that President Michel
Sleiman is seeking success in forming a new government before heading to New York
where he will be attending the regular session held by the UN General Assembly.
“The positions expected to be launched by Sleiman in New York
regarding crucial issues must be supported by a cabinet,” the newspaper
continued.
However, well-informed sources said that a number of European
countries are holding talks with Arab and regional states concerned with the Lebanon's internal divisions and with the conditions and counter-conditions imposed for
the cabinet's formation, calling on them to lift their conditions in order to
facilitate the formation of the government.
Speaker Nabih Berri stressed that there are no new
developments concerning the new cabinet, pointing out that President Michel
Sleiman and the Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam are the only officials who
have the power to discuss the cabinet formation process.
Answering a question on March 14's declaration that included
lifting the condition of expelling Hezbollah from the upcoming government,
Berri told
al-Joumhouria Daily: “no cabinet will be formed without Hezbollah, or the Future
Movement or MP Walid Jumblatt or any other Lebanese party.”
Lebanese President Michel Sleiman said that the use of
chemical weapons is completely unacceptable, regardless of the party that used
it and that will only be determined by the United Nations, stressing that the
response to such use should not be through the use of force.
“Hezbollah has enough national wisdom to prevent Lebanon from
being dragged into war, but unfortunately, no one can guarantee how the
situation will escalate, therefore nothing can prevent Hezbollah from
participating in the war if the Syrian regime needed it to, leading the situation to spiral out of control” Sleiman told
al-Liwaa in a statement.
On another note, Sleiman noted that the only solution for the
Lebanese people to end their differences and divisions is through the formation of a cabinet of national unity, where
all the political parties will be represented, including Hezbollah.