Press Digest for Wednesday April 30, 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.

• Speaker Berri will carry out deliberations over presidential elections  before the end of constitutional deadline-sources

Sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper that Speaker Nabih Berri stressed that his bloc will partake in Wednesday's parliamentary session held to elect a new president.

According to the daily, Berri will call for another session in case quorum were not reached.

He also noted that he will carry out contacts and deliberations in this regard before the end of the constitutional deadline set for May 25.

Berri concluded by saying that no progress was made over the presidential elections during the last meeting between former Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Minister of Foreign Affairs Gebran Bassil in Paris.

• Russian ambassador Zasypkin says elections must be held without foreign interference

Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin reiterated to as-Safir newspaper on Wednesday the importance of the Lebanese presidential elections.

He noted that the elections must be held without any foreign interference, adding that Russia will not meddle in the details of the presidential bid.

According to the daily, Zasypkin ruled out the possibility of a presidential vacuum in the country.

• MP Fouad Siniora urges March 14 MPs to vote for LF leader Samir Geagea-sources

Sources told An-Nahar newspaper on Wednesday that the head of the Future bloc MP Fouad Siniora held a meeting for the March 14 camp over the presidential elections.

During the meeting, Siniora urged MPs to attend Wednesday's parliamentary session and to elect Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea as Lebanon's president.

According to the daily, the participants in the meeting also  tackled the pay scale file.

• Hariri fails to reach agreement with FPM-sources

Sources close to the Future movement told al-Akhbar newspaper on Wednesday that former Prime Minister Saad Hariri notified his allies of his rejection to elect Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun as president.

The same sources added that Hariri notified his allies about his stance prior to his meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister Gebran Bassil in Paris, stressing however that he will continue the deliberations with Aoun's dispatched MPs and ministers over the presidential bid.

According to the daily, Hariri's stance came following Saudi Arabia's rejection to elect Aoun as president, as well as Bassil's last visit to Russia where he tackled with Russian officials the issues of gas, oil and arming the Lebanese army.