Press Digest for Tuesday October 08, 2013

3^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.

Caretaker PM Mikati says Lebanon willing to pay STL funding-sources

Sources close to caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati told An-Nahar newspaper on Tuesday that discussions are being held between Mikati and President Michel Sleiman over the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

Sources added that Mikati confirmed to the United Nations Chief Ban Ki-moon Lebanon's willingness to pay all the due amounts to the Tribunal.

On another note, sources revealed to the Daily that the STL investigations showed that a fifth suspect appear to be involved in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri in 2005.

Pope Francis will be likely visiting Lebanon in 2014-sources

Sources told As-Safir newspaper on Tuesday that Pope Francis will likely be paying a visit to Lebanon amid his tour to Middle Eastern countries set to take place in 2014.

Sources added that the scheduled visit aims at supporting the presence of Christians in the Middle East, urging the International Community to find radical solutions for the region's conflicts.

According to the Daily, Pope Francis will meet in November with representatives of the Catholic and Orthodox churches in the Middle East, and will discuss with them the concerns of the Christians in the region.

File of Lebanese hostages in Syria's Aazaz to soon be resolved-sources

Sources told As-Safir newspaper on Tuesday that the file of the Lebanese hostages in Syria's Aazaz and the two kidnapped Turkish pilots is being tackled among various Lebanese leaders and officials.

Sources added that General Security Chief Major General Abbas Ibrahim met with Turkish ambassador to Lebanon Inan Auzildise and representatives of the Lebanese hostages families prior to his visit to Doha on Sunday.

Same sources revealed to the Daily that the few days to come will bring an end to the case.

US and Western officials say Lebanon must start drilling for oil off its coast-sources

Well informed sources told As-Safir newspaper on Tuesday that Western and US officials stressed to the Lebanese leaders the importance of Lebanon commencing oil drilling operations off its coast "the soonest possible."

Sources added that President Michel Sleiman and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati are set to hold deliberations in this regard.

According to the Daily, Mikati met on Sunday with Hezbollah Secretary General's Political Assistant Hajj Hussein Khalil, who in turn, informed Mikati the necessity of holding a parliamentary session to discuss this file.