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 Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour said on Friday that the difficulty in addressing the Syrian refugee need is due to the existence of 1600 refugee sites spread all over Lebanon including 431 random camps making logistically challenging.
“In the light of the situation, we have called the Lebanese Armed Forces to help us get to refugees we can’t reach,” he added, in an interview with An-Nahar newspaper.
Answering a question concerning veracity on whether the international community’s humanitarian aid exists, Abou Faour said that what was made available is 50% less than what is required.
“The number of refugees keeps on changing. We can discuss the creation of camps later, the priority should be trying to get through the storm with the least tragedies and damages now,” he concluded.
Speaker Nabih Berri considered on Friday that in the light of the current situation there is no choice but to form a cabinet under 6-9-9 formula or go back to the dialogue table.
In an interview with al-Jouhouria newspaper, he pointed that he knows that Lebanon’s President Michel Sleiman supports the 6-9-9 government formula and that some member of the Future bloc do as well.
“I know that Prime Minister Designate Tammam Salam is not against the formula but is waiting for the rest to approve it, this includes National Struggle Front leader MP Walid Jumblatt who is the first aggrieved but is convinced of the necessity to form a cabinet,” he said.
Berri also stressed on the necessity of an equitable distribution of ministerial portfolios in the new cabinet giving all parties key ministries.
As-Safir mentioned on Friday that the visit of Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta to Beirut on Saturday is an opportunity to prepare for the International Support Group meeting that will be hosted in Rome aiming to assist the Lebanese Armed Forces.
Letta is due to hold talks with senior Lebanese officials and inspect Italy’s battalion operating with the UNIFIL.
In this context, official sources told the daily that France is looking forward to organizing the next International Support Group meeting in Paris during the first 6 months of next year which would again have a direct impact on Lebanon especially on the political dimension since the presidential elections are coming up.
Same sources said that the International Support Group meeting in Paris will be similar to the one that was previously held in New York, last September and therefore Lebanon’s President Michel Sleiman will be the one heading the Lebanese delegation.
Ministerial sources told Al-Akhbar newspaper on Friday that Lebanon President Michel Sleiman is discussing the possibility of forming a “neutral” cabinet in due time with a number of officials pointing that the president has been holding on to this idea although he asked from 14 March forces not to pressure him in putting forward.
Same sources pointed to the daily that Sleiman may resort to this prospect in cooperation with Prime Minister Designate Tammam Salam if he felt that extending his term was not an option highlighting that he is relying on a regional and western diplomatic role in order to find a way for term extension although the international community stressed on the necessity to hold the presidential elections as per schedule.
On the other hand, sources reiterated that Sleiman needs the cabinet to form before the end of his term not in prevention of political void but to secure the extension of his term.