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.
Acharq Alawsat daily quoted Arab League Chief Nabil el-Araby
on Wednesday as saying that he had turned down a European demand to refer the
Syrian issue to the Security Council.
El-Araby rejected accusations addressed by certain Syrian
opposition members and observers according to which the Arab League is granting
more time to the Assad regime while the daily “killing machine” against the
Syrian people is ongoing.
El-Araby confirmed to the daily that there are no deadlines
for Syria, stressing that the economic sanctions set by the Arab council are in
effect.
El-Araby announced that there are ongoing deliberations
between Arab foreign ministers over the new conditions set by Syria to sign the
Arab observer plan.
Asked whether the recent procedures taken against Syria are
capable of stopping the daily Syrian “killing machine” el-Araby voiced hope
that “the Arab League’s decisions will prompt the Syrian regime to reconsider
all these policies.”
Asked whether he fears possible escalation on the regional or
international level during the upcoming phase, el-Araby said that this depends
on Syria’s performance.
Acharq Alawsat daily quoted Future MP Ahmad Fatfat on
Wednesday as saying that the presence of Hezbollah Leader Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah among his audience aimed at raising the moral of these people after
it was shaken by the relapse of STL funding.
Fatfat said that Nasrallah has adopted a clear position
against the Syrian people, adding that the most dangerous part of Nasrallah’s
speech was when he stated that “any change in the Syrian regime means bringing
a traitor regime to power.”
Fatfat added that Nasrallah resorts to these accusations of
treason each time he finds himself in trouble.
Fatfat wondered, “Nasrallah has never told us what and where this
resistant Syrian regime is. Isn’t it the one curbing freedoms and standing
tightlipped in the face of the Golan occupation? ”
Fatfat added that Nasrallah’s clear rejection to dialogue
that addresses the handover of its arms unveils the policy of Syria and that of
Hezbollah which, according to him, had laid the cards on the table regarding
its rejection to hand over arms.
Kuwaiti “Al Siyasa” Newspaper quoted Telecommunication
Minister Nicolas Sahnawi on Wednesday as saying that he does not rule out the
resignation of the Change and Reform bloc ministers if the performance of the
cabinet is not adjusted and if each minister does not act as a “master of his
ministry.”
Sahnawi added that this issue was present before the funding
of the STL.
“It is wrong to tie the issue to the subject of funding since
we, the bloc’s ministers, have not seen yet a cabinet that wants to take the
reins; what has been made clear to us is that the cabinet wants to play for
time and nothing more,” he added.
Acharq Alawsat reported on Wednesday that Paris has opened
its doors to Lebanese PM Najib Mikati after he paid Lebanon’s 2011 share of the
STL costs.
Well-informed sources in Paris told the newspaper that France
was not able to invite Mikati so long as he did not live up to the promises he
made in Paris, including those to French Minister Alain Juppe.
Commenting on the Syrian events, the same sources said that
Paris fears the expansion of the Syrian crisis into Lebanon and its possible
political and security repercussions, mainly on the safety of the French
contingent of UNIFIL operating in southern Lebanon.
It is reported that the U.N. is carrying out a comprehensive
strategic review for the UNIFIL situation between the Blue Line and the Litani
river following the request of some contributor countries, including France, to
reduce the number of their peacekeeping forces.