Press Digest for Tuesday March 11, 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.

• PM Salam did not receive new proposal on policy statement - Sources

Sources close to Prime Minister Tammam Salam reported to Al-Joumhouria newspaper that he did not receive any new proposal regarding the cabinet policy statement, adding that he is waiting for the meeting of the committee tasked with drafting the statement.

The sources stated that the ideas tackled in the latest session should be revised, adding that PM Salam will have his comments regarding these ideas, and is hopeful that the last session will be held before the end of the current week.

• Minister Fneish says Israel is still targeting Lebanon

State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mohammad Fneish assured on Tuesday that he is waiting for the meeting of the committee tasked with drafting the cabinet policy statement to check if there are any positive suggestions, urging concerned parties to facilitate drafting the statement.

Fneish told Al-Joumhouria newspaper that the resistance is a right that they will not give up on, stressing that “the resistance presented the optimal method in liberating the land and confronting any aggression.”

Minister Fneish stated that those hampering the endorsement of the policy statement do not want the cabinet to be productive, stating that “some parties are rejecting the concept of the resistance at a time when Israeli forces are occupying our land and attacking us.”

• MP Houri says Future Bloc will not accept “army-people-resistance” formula

MP Ammar Houri stated on Tuesday that nothing new happened regarding the cabinet policy statement, pointing out that the Future Bloc along with its allies in March 14 are adherent to rejecting the “army-people-resistance” formula, or any other formula that grants Hezbollah the right to monopolize the decisions of war and peace despite the decisions of the Lebanese state.

MP Houri told Al-Liwaa newspaper that March 14 forces are still open for negotiations regarding the policy statement, adding that these forces did not receive any new proposals.

• Ambassador Zasypkin says policy statement should be agreed upon by all parties

Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin said on Tuesday there are no threats on Russian Embassy in Lebanon, but security precautions were taken due to the general atmosphere prevailing over Lebanon.

Zasypkin told Al-Akhbar newspaper that maintaining stability in Lebanon serves the entire Lebanese nation, adding that endorsing a cabinet policy statement is not a complicated matter.

In this regard, Ambassador Zasypkin stated that the statement should be agreed upon by all parties for Lebanon to be able to face the upcoming entitlements.