Press Digest for Monday May 12, 2014

4^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.

FM Bassil denounces ongoing Israeli breaches against Lebanon

Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said on Monday that all Israeli breaches against Lebanon are certainly condemned, noting that complaints should be filed in this regard.

"The Lebanese Armed Forces should provide us with all details behind the violations so that the complaint could be well documented," Bassil told As-Safir daily.

He also regretted that filing complaints against Israel has become a "routine duty," and said: "It is shameful that Israeli breaches are being consistently reported with no solution in sight".

Cardinal Rai to hold contacts with Lebanese parties over presidential elections

Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Beshara Boutros Rai is set to hold intensive contacts with the various Lebanese parties in a bid to elect a new president, sources told An-Nahar newspaper on Monday.

"If the lawmakers fail to elect a new head of state, Cardinal Rai will be adamant on extending the mandate of President Michel Sleiman until a new president is elected," the same sources said.

This as, diplomatic sources also told the daily that the ambassadors of the US, the UK and France are holding weekly meetings to discuss the Lebanese situation as well as the presidential elections.

Vatican seeks to ensure Lebanon's presidential elections are held on time

Al-Joumhouria daily reported on Monday that the Vatican has been seeking, in the last 48 hours, to urge the international community to take any possible initiative guaranteeing that Lebanon's presidential elections are held on time.

"The Vatican considers that a potential power vacuum in Lebanon, added to the plight of Christians in Syria, Iraq and Egypt, aims at marginalizing the Christian community in the Middle East," the daily said.

Future bloc MP Hajjar says presidential vacuum will take a toll on Lebanon's stability

Future bloc MP Mohammad al-Hajjar stressed on Monday that the March 14 forces are adamant on electing a new head of state before the end of the constitutional deadline set for May 25.

"A potential presidential void will have dangerous impacts on the country's stability," MP Hajjar told the Kuwait-based Al-Seyassah daily.

He added that Kataeb party leader Amin Gemayel aims, through his initiative, to have a unified Christian stance against power vacuum and to reach quorum in the parliamentary sessions.