Press Digest for Friday December 16, 2011

6^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.

An-Nahar: Russia submitted draft law on Syria to SC

An-Nahar daily reported that the newspaper acquired a copy of a new Russian draft law, formed of a preamble and 12 clauses, on Syria submitted to the Security Council.

An-Nahar said that the first clause urges all parties in Syria to end violence regardless of its source and prompts the Syrian government to stop oppressing all those exercising their rights such as freedoms of expression and of peaceful assembly. The draft also highlights the need to press on with investigations carried out by the Syrian judicial committee.

According to the daily, the draft urges the Syrian opposition to distance itself from extremists, accept the Arab League’s initiative and engage in a political dialogue with the Syrian authority without any pre-conditions.

The draft asks all parties to respect the international law in forced, calling for a political process led by Syria in a violent-free atmosphere. An-Nahar added that the Russian draft law underscores the importance of introducing the promised reforms as fast as possible and enacting a new constitution.

An-Nahar learned that the draft emphasizes the need to conduct fair and free parliamentary elections in Syria. The draft stresses that no clause can be interpreted as a carte blanche for a military intervention in Syria.

Berri: Lebanese Banks unraveled first secret amongst many others

Speaker Nabih Berri told An-Nahar daily that he is glad the Association of Banks in Lebanon decided to allocate the money needed for the STL. Berri stressed that the first secret amongst many others unraveled Thursday when Lebanese Banks took that step.

“I had said that the STL will not be funded out of the state’s money and this is exactly what happened. Other unrevealed factors regarding this issue will also come to light soon”, Berri said.

An-Nahar: After a long painful process, Col. Al Hassan to be promoted in 2012

An-Nahar daily learned that decree to promote 24 officers from the ISF saw the light on Wednesday after a long painful process that simmered in the allies of the Grand Serail, the Interior Ministry and the General Directorate of the ISF. The newspaper reported that the process took such a long time to cook because of several political vetoes on certain names included in the decree, namely the head of the Intelligence Department Col. Wissam Al Hassan.

An-Nahar added that a security and political compromise led to the promise of promoting Col. Al Hassan to Brigadier General at the beginning of the year. An-Nahar acquired the decree according to which Col. Al Hassan will be promoted to Brig. Gen. on January the first, 2011 along with the following colonels: Abdul Razak Qawtli, Maroun Nasser, Elias Nasser Habib, Mohamad Nassouh El Assaad, Antione Bustani, Ghaleb Mhanna, Naji Al Masri, Joseph Al Helu, George Latouf, Gaby Al Khoury, Abdu Njeim, Mohammad Alam Adin and Mohammad AL Khansa.

As-Safir: Hariri family to sell its real-estate

As-Safir daily reported that the family of late PM Rafik Hariri establishes a legal six-member committee in charge of conducting an inventory of real-estates owned by the family. The newspaper added that the committee will take all legal and financial measures paving the way to sell most of the properties, whether in the capital or in other regions.

Such a decision will benefit employees working in Hariri institutions, especially those who have not profited from a raise in years. According to the daily, the first step will be to pay their debts.

Tarabay: US alone knows the real story behind Lebanese Canadian bank conundrum

The Head of the Association of Banks in Lebanon Joseph Tarabay said that he did not receive any information regarding any “criminal proceedings” against the Lebanese Canadian Bank. Tarabay’s announcement followed U.S. sources saying that Hezbollah is using financial institutions, such as the mentioned bank, to conduct illegal financial transactions. In response to the U.S. Treasury Department accusations targeting the Lebanese Canadian bank last February, the Central Bank forced the owners to sell the bank’s assets.

Tarabay told Acharq al Awsat daily that the U.S. alone knows the real story behind the “criminal issue” and did not brief Lebanese authorities on any information in this regard. Tarabay stressed that Lebanese banks are cautious when dealing with internal and external financial transactions and work in line with local as well as international laws.

“Lebanon took all necessary measures against the Lebanese Canadian Bank, it was even given the death penalty”, Tarabay said.

Tarabay added that if penal procedures are to be taken against the bank, the association will cooperate whenever a breach is detected. On another matter, Tarabay said that by paying Lebanon’s share of the STL, Lebanese banks have taken a national step rather than a political one.

Tarbay added that following PM Mikati’s decision to transfer the money from the budget of the Higher Relief Committee, the cabinet waited for donations to replenish the fund.