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.
Lebanese President Michel Sleiman stressed on Friday the importance of communicating with Saudi officials during Lebanon’s current stage, adding that the country will benefit from his visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during which he will meet with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz in a bid to reinforce the relations between the two countries.
In this regard, sources quoted President Sleiman as saying that Lebanon always looks at the positive role played by Saudi officials in times of adversity in order to strengthen Lebanon’s economic and political stability.
The sources added to
Al-Liwaa newspaper that Lebanon shows appreciation to the Saudi efforts exerted to maintain Lebanon’s stability, stressing that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not interfere in internal affairs.
The sources also mentioned that President Sleiman will discuss with the Saudi King the importance of the disassociation policy adopted by the Lebanese cabinet as well as the Baabda Declaration, and noted that the 2 officials will tackle the continuous influx of Syrian refugees into Lebanon as well as its repercussions.
Future Bloc MP Ammar Houri told
Al-Liwaa newspaper on Friday that the he has no information concerning the existence of Israeli espionage stations at the Southern border with Lebanon except what was stated by House Speaker Nabih Berri during the Wednesday periodic meeting.
In this context, MP Houri said: "It's impossible to judge Berri's intentions before knowing all the details concerning this file and therefore the Future bloc will attend the Parliament's Media and Telecom Committee’s meeting before going any further."
MP Houri explained to the Daily that in case these stations happened to exist for a long time to the knowledge of the Telecom Ministry, Berri and Hezbollah, the bloc will be asking questions concerning the reason behind the dissimulation of this dangerous information.
This as
al-Joumhouria newspaper reported that Lebanon will file a complaint against Israel before the United Nations Security Council regarding the mentioned file.
Sources said that the US-KSA disagreement concerning Syria, now taking on larger proportions, especially after the United States decided not to launch a military strike on Damascus is having various repercussions.
As-Safir newspaper quoted on Friday well informed Syrian sources as saying that US Secretary of State John Kerry refused to meet with the Saudi intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan during his visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last Sunday and the latter did not attend a meeting with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz and Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal seemingly since US’ Kerry was present as well.
The secretary General of Hezbollah Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Friday that the threats of some Takfiri groups who said that will target Ashoura gatherings will be a motivation for active participation at these gatherings.
In this regard, Nasrallah called on all Hezbollah partisans to face these threats and exert efforts to maintain the security and stability in Beirut’s Dahiyeh region.
On another note, Sayyed Nasrallah told
As-Safir newspaper that Hezbollah has been facing ongoing challenges and the most prominent one is strengthening the Resistance to face threats imposed by Israel.
As for the Syrian file, Sayyed Nasrallah noted that a political solution will be reached seemingly since the war axis on Syria has reached a dead end.
Nasrallah added that Hezbollah’s participation in the Syrian war was essential saying that “the situation in Lebanon would have become similar to that of Iraq had Hezbollah not interfered.”