Press Digest for Sunday September 15, 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.

• MP Michel Moussa: Berri’s initiative does not contradict withBaabda Declaration

Member of the Development and Liberation bloc MP Michel Moussa that the initiative launched by Speaker Nabih Berri and implemented by him in coordination with MPs Yassin Jaber and Ali Bazzi can succeed since it does not contradict with the Baabda Declaration, stressing that any dispute can be solved with dialogue. 

In a statement to al Seyassah Kuwaitia, Moussa denied that Berri is seeking to place the cabinet formation process on the dialogue table, explaining that the dialogue sessions should be dedicated to solve other pending issues.            

He added that the initiative intends to facilitate the governmental formation process through discussing its type, whether it should be a political cabinet or one of technocrats, but will not interfere in the constitutional side of the formation process.            

• Salam praises Berri’s efforts to find solution to critical situation - Sources

Sources close to the cabinet formation process told al-Hayat Daily that Speaker Nabih Berri’s comments regarding the Baabda Declaration are positive since he is aware of the critical situation and hopes that his initiative reaches the needed goals.                          

During a visit made by members of the Development and Liberation bloc to the Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam, the delegation exposed the main items of Berri’s initiative, while Salam expressed his appreciation to Berri’s efforts, stressing his keenness on maintaining best relations with the Speaker.

Commenting on Salam's insistence on abstaining from discussing the ministerial statement before forming the cabinet, the same sources said that the PM-Designate believes that the statement must be drafted after the cabinet formation.

• New concerns arise regarding Lebanon’s security situation - Sources                        

Well-informed sources warned of new concerns regarding the security situation in the country, revealing that the upcoming stage will bring new threats to destabilize the “relatively stable situation” in Lebanon. 

The sources told an-Nahar Daily that the concerns come as a result of two main factors, the first being the accusations launched by some parties saying that chemical weapons are being transported from Syria into Lebanon through Hezbollah, while the latter remained silent over the matter and refused to comment. 

According to the sources, the second factor is represented by the repercussions of the regional cold war, which is expected to intensify amid the current settlements concerning the chemical weapons issue.