Press Digest for Sunday October 06, 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 Houry says FPM leader Aoun will be never viewed as moderate candidate         

Future bloc MP Ammar Houry said on Sunday that "since Hezbollah got involved in the Syrian crisis, the group has dragged Lebanon into regional conflicts," noting that "Hezbollah's unilateral policy has suspended several political issues pending the outcome of international meetings on the Middle East".       

"Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun, who said that all disputes with former Prime Minister Saad Hariri have ended, is trying to run for presidential elections as a moderate candidate," MP Houry told the Kuwait-based Al Anbaa newspaper.         

"MP Aoun will be never deemed as a moderate candidate," MP Houry said.            

• MP Daher says Hezbollah owns long-range missiles with chemical warheads               

Future bloc MP Khaled Daher told the Saudi daily Al-Watan that "Hezbollah-owned launch pads for long-range missiles were built under the supervision of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards," noting that some of them carry chemical warheads.             

In this regard, MP Daher said that the launch pads can be found in southern Hermel, in areas near Baalbek and other regions in the vicinity of Akkar.

• Caretaker PM Mikati fully cooperates with Hezbollah- sources                

A well-informed source close to the March 8 coalition told An-Nahar newspaper that "caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati is fully cooperating with Hezbollah," noting that "Mikati has met with Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah 15 to 17 times" since he took office.             

"The meetings between both officials were held away from the media spotlights by mutual consent," the source added.             

"Hezbollah is keeping an eye on President Michel Sleiman's stances after he returned from New York to see whether the President will take firmer decisions regarding the group in order to please the international community," the same source said.