Press Digest for Saturday January 18, 2014

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.

• MP Jumbalt says Hariri's stance regarding coalition government is "positive"

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt told As-Safir newspaper on Saturday that Friday's stance of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri regarding the formation of a coalition government with Hezbollah is "positive and opens up new horizons in the formation process."

MP Jumbaltt urged Lebanese leaders to cooperate with each others to turn "theory to practice."

For his part, Speaker Nabih Berri told al-Akhbar newspaper on Friday that the upcoming government will be a national unity cabinet that will hold dialogue table as well as the presidential elections.

• MP Harb says Sunnite-Shiite conflict in Lebanon is direct result of Hezbollah interference in Syria

MP Boutros Harb told An-Nahar newspaper on Saturday that the trial sessions of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in The Hague aim at bringing the criminals to justice.

He also reiterated that the Sunnite-Shiite conflict in Lebanon is a direct result of Hezbollah's military interference in Syria, voicing his wishes for the armed party to deliver the suspects to the STL.

Harb urged Hezbollah to put Lebanon's interests on top in order to "build a stronger country."

• March 14 alliance sets conditions for partaking in upcoming government-sources

Sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper on Friday that March 14 alliance has set several conditions for partaking in the upcoming government.

Same sources added that the said alliance urged the concerned leaders to include the Baabda Declaration in the ministerial statement, and not to mention the Army-People-Resistance formula.

• Syrian President al-Assad says "Syrian regime made mistakes in Syria and Lebanon"-sources

Al-Rai newspaper said on Saturday that visitors of Syrian President Bachar al-Assad quoted him saying that he is not "optimistic" regarding Geneva 2 talks, adding that the Syrian state sent the names of the delegation that will partake in the conference to the United Nations.

According to the Daily, President al-Assad said that he still retains strong domestic support, acknowledging at the same time that the Syrian regime "has made mistakes in Syria and Lebanon."