Press Digest for Monday May 19, 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: Ongoing meetings held in Paris are not enough to reach agreement over presidency

Speaker Nabih Berri told As-Safir newspaper on Monday that he will call for holding a session tasked to elect a new president before next Thursday, if Lebanese leaders agree on one presidential candidate.

He also noted that he will call for other sessions before the end of the constitutional deadline on May 25.

Berri concluded by saying that the ongoing meetings held in Paris are not enough to reach an agreement on the next president for the country.

• Saudi ambassador Asiri: Current phase requires cooperation between all Lebanese sides

Saudi ambassador to Lebanon Ai Awad Asiri told An-Nahar newspaper on Monday that the current phase in Lebanon requires the cooperation between all Lebanese sides to ensure the election of a consensual president.

Asiri hoped that Prime Minister Tamam Salam's scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia would boost the economic cooperation between the kingdom and Lebanon.

According to the daily, Asiri reiterated that he remained in Saudi Arabia for the past few months for security reasons, mainly after the explosions that took place in Lebanon.

• PM Salam says will tackle with Saudi officials Lebanese issues

Prime Minister Tammam Salam told As-Safir newspaper on Monday that he will thank Saudi Arabia for all the aid it offered to Lebanon during his visit to the kingdom.

Salam also noted that he will tackle with the Saudi officials all Lebanese pending issues to seek Saudi Arabia's help, mainly in the file of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

On another note, Salam reiterated the need to elect a new president within the constitutional deadlines, adding that the Lebanese leaders have no reason not to elect a new president.

• Kataeb leader Amine Gemayel: Failure to elect new president marginalizes the role of Christians in Lebanon

Kataeb party leader Amine Gemayel told Acharq al-Awsat newspaper on Monday that he wants to be elected as a "consensual president", adding that Lebanon's next president must be able to hold dialogue with all Lebanese factions.

Gemayel warned against the failure of electing a new president, adding that any presidential vacuum would marginalize the role of Christians in the country.

He also noted that lawmakers failure in the presidential bid would have direct economic, social and security repercussions on Lebanon.