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.
A French source said that the discussions expected to be held between the Saudi King Abdallah and the French President Francois Hollande who will visit the Kingdom on Sunday, will tackle the situation in Lebanon.
The source added that both parties are keen on preserving stability, maintaining the constitutional institutions and activating the work of the Friends of Lebanon Association launched through a French initiative during the United Nations General Assembly session in September.
In this context,
as-Safir Daily reported that the issue of the extension of President Michel Sleiman’s mandate is among the main items included in the agenda of the Saudi-French meeting.
“We do not see how Saudi Arabia can exert pressure on March 14 forces to facilitate the formation of a new cabinet, while these pressures must target in Hezbollah,” the French source said.
On the Syrian level, the same source added that France and Saudi Arabia agree that a political solution cannot be reached in Syria should Bashar Assad remain in his position, expressing skepticism regarding the Geneva 2 outcome.
Caretaker Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour said that the only solution for the issue of the Syrian refugees is to establish refugee camps inside the Lebanese territories, since the United Nations completely rejected the establishment of such camps on the Syrian borders.
In this context, he explained that these camps can be set up in regions that do not cause tensions, and that will be controlled by the concerned security apparatuses in order to prevent any security, social and political risks.
“The Lebanese community has done more than it can and the government has deployed strong efforts, but the biggest disappointment came from what is known as the International Community,” Abou Faour said in a statement to
an-Nahar Daily.
Accordingly, he expected that the crisis in Lebanon will head toward further deterioration in case the situation in Syria remains unchanged.
Al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Friday that President Michel Sleiman held contacts, on Thursday afternoon, with Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Beshara Boutros Rai with talks featuring high on a number of files they had tackled two days ago during their meeting.
Well-informed sources told the daily that Sleiman had voiced his stance regarding the formation of a new government, urging all parties to assume their national responsibilities "due to the urgent need to form a cabinet that governs and avoids political vacuum".
"Numerous consultations are being held at the political and diplomatic levels, the sources said, adding that some diplomatic parties have expressed interest in President Sleiman's proposals".
Arab Socialist Baath Party leader MP Assem Qanso told
Al-Joumhouria daily on Friday that "the extension of President Michel Sleiman's term will take a toll on the country," stressing that the March 8 forces did not agree yet on a single candidate for the upcoming presidential elections.
"Personally, I support the candidate who calls for understanding, not the one who sows division," Qanso said.
He also warned against the formation of a "fait accompli" government since "it will create havoc and sedition".
"President Sleiman shouldn't act in a wrong way while the national interest requires the formation of a political cabinet in which all parties are represented," he added.