Press Digest for Tuesday December 31, 2013

5^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.

Mansour: Syrian air force not our enemy

Caretaker Foreign Affairs Minister Adnan Mansour commented on the security event that took place Monday where the Lebanese army fired at Syrian planes, noting that the Syrian air force is not Lebanon’s enemy.

“We must receive from the Lebanese Armed Forces Command all the available details and information in order to be able to deal with this issue, in accordance with the signed security agreements between the two countries,” he said.

In a statement to al-Joumhouria Daily, Mansour said that Lebanon’s territory should not be threatened by Syria and vice versa, stressing the need to preserve the historic relations between the two nations, away from tension, hatred and accusations.

Hariri urges Hollande to provide LAF with resources

Al-Hayat Daily reported that the head of the Future Movement Saad Hariri urged the French President Francois Hollande to provide the Lebanese army with resources, during a meeting held on Sunday.

In this context, a source close to the discussions held between Hollande and Saudi King Abdallah Bin Abdel Aziz revealed that the Saudi grant to the Lebanese army comes in a bid to promote the military institution that represents Lebanon and to improve the status of the Lebanese presidency represented by President Michel Sleiman.

The newspaper added that the French president discussed with former PM Saad Hariri the issue of the Lebanese presidency and the need to respect the constitutional deadlines, mainly regarding the presidential elections, while preventing Hezbollah and Iran from hindering them.

Investigations in Chatah’s assassination case focus on two main points

A judicial source told Acharq al-Awsat Newspaper that the investigations conducted in Chatah’s assassination case focus on two main leads, the content of the surveillance cameras placed in the area and the track followed by the explosive-laden vehicle reported stolen in 2012.

The source noted that a the security forces received the footage of a number of surveillance cameras, showing that a Honda – CRV booked the parking for the booby-trapped car that arrived 30 minutes before the explosion. However, the cameras were not able to detect the face of the person who parked the vehicle that exploded.

On another note, the source explained that the vehicle used in the attack did enter the Ain al-Helweh refugee camp after it was stolen; stressing that it was sold to another person.

He added that several aspects of the information made available has not yet been revealed, including the date the said vehicle left the camp, the identity of the person who bought it and whether or not he is the same person involved in the attack.

The source expected that the probe will lead to useful information due to the effective cooperation between the security apparatuses.

Where do the Lebanese officials spend New Year’s Eve?

Al-Joumhouria Daily reported that President Michel Sleiman arrived on Sunday to Budapest where he will spend the New Year holiday with his family, and is set to return to Beirut at the end of the week.

In turn, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati headed to the British capital London where he will celebrate the beginning of the New Year, while the head of National Struggle Front MP Walid Jumblatt went to Istanbul accompanied by caretaker Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour.