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.
The Kuwaiti newspaper
Al-Anbaa quoted on Wednesday sources
close to MP Walid Jumblatt as saying that dialogue between the Progressive
Socialist Party and the Free Patriotic Movement may gradually develop into
political coordination and electoral cooperation.
On another note, the sources pointed out at the Saudi openness
towards the FPM, emphasizing that FPM leader MP Michel Aoun still has the support
of Christians despite of Hezbollah’s participation in the Syrian war.
Sources reported on Wednesday that the head of the General
Security Major General Abbas Ibrahim headed in the past 48 hours to Qatar and
Syria where he met with officials following up on the file of the Lebanese
detainees in Syria’s Aazaz.
The sources added that Major General Ibrahim discussed with officials
details pertaining to the names of women detained by the Syrian regime
as well as other information related to the exchange deal.
The sources added to
As-Safir
newspaper that the deal will be a comprehensive exchange process based on
fulfilling the demands of the kidnappers in exchange of releasing the Lebanese detainees.
The sources expressed their
hope that the release of Bishops Boulos
Yaziji, and Yuhanna Ibrahim who were kidnapped in Syria and the release
of the 2 Turkish pilots who were abducted in Beirut will be part of the aforementioned deal.
Sources
following up on the governmental file said on Wednesday that the formation of a neutral
cabinet is being discussed since the formation on the basis of any other
formula has been ruled out due to conditions and counter-conditions set
forth by March 8 and March 14.
In this
context, the sources told
An-Nahar newspaper that the neutral cabinet will
garner the support of the Lebanese people on the condition that it includes
ministers known for their public work achievements.
The sources
also noted that the said governmental formula may be discussed in the
upcoming 48 hours between President Michel Sleiman and Prime Minister-Designate
Tammam Salam.
Prime
Minister-Designate Tammam Salam is proceeding with his contacts in a bid to
accomplish the task that Lebanese authorities entrusted him with; the formation
of the cabinet.
Al-Mustaqbal
newspaper quoted Salam on Wednesday as saying that he is adherent to the constants
he declared upon his nomination, stressing that he will not refrain from
completing his duties.
Salam added
to the newspaper that he will not evade from his responsibilities; emphasizing
that he is seeking the formation of a cabinet that finds solutions for Lebanon’s
current situation.
As for Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc MP Mohammad Raad’s adherence to the “people-army-resistance”
formula, MP Salam noted that this formula aims at disrupting the governmental
formation and contradicts with the latest statement made by the Secretary
General of Hezbollah Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah during which he mentioned that the
he does not mind discussing the aforementioned formula after the formation of
the cabinet.
MP Salam
added that the constitution stipulates that the PM-Designate form the cabinet
and discuss its formation with the President of the Republic, stressing that Lebanese laws do not grant political factions any role in the cabinet
formation.