Press Digest for Thursday May 29, 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.

• Committee studying pay scale is cooperating indirectly with Hezbollah - MP

Member of the parliamentary committee tasked with discussing the wage hike, MP Jamal Jarrah stated on Thursday that the committee convened a meeting on Monday evening with Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, and Education Minister Elias Bou Saab.                  

Jarrah reported to An-Nahar newspaper that officials discussed during the meeting the resources and expenditures in order to fund the pay scale.    

He also mentioned that the committee is cooperating indirectly with Hezbollah in order to reach common grounds regarding the stated dossier.               

• MP Fares calls on March 14 forces to reconsider their relation with Syria                  

Syrian Social Nationalist Party MP Marwan Fares stated on Thursday that Lebanese citizens are suffering from the continuous influx of Syrian refugees, stressing that refugees should be deported to regions controlled by the regime.                 

MP Fares told Al-Joumhouria newspaper that “March 14’s hatred to Syria is unjustified,” emphasizing that these forces will change their position as they did a few years back.

In this regard, MP Fares called on the March 14 forces to reconsider their relations with Syria, urging them to maintain good ties with the Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon seemingly since he is capable of playing an important role in Lebanese – Syrian relations.  

• Ambassador Ali says Syrian voters conveyed country's dignity                   

Syrian ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdel Karim Ali stated on Thursday that Syrian voters expressed Syria’s steadfastness and dignity when they casted their votes at the Damascus embassy in the region of Yarzeh.        

Ali told Al-Joumhouria newspaper that he was confident since the early beginning of the conflict that Syria will defeat all conspiracies, urging all Lebanese factions to reconsider their positions regarding the Syrian war.     

He also stated that what happened at the Syrian embassy on Wednesday may be the means for all factions to change their positions especially those who called for deporting refugees back to their country.                  

• MP Aoun says Lebanese authorities should address issue of Syrian refugees
  

Change and Reform Bloc MP Alain Aoun stated on Thursday that the number of Syrian expats and legal refugees who casted their ballots in the Syrian presidential election at the embassy in the region of Yarzeh proves that the issue of refugees in Lebanon should be organized.     

In this regard, MP Aoun told Al-Mustaqbal newspaper that the issue of the refugees should maintain its humanitarian side, adding that his bloc had previously warned of the continuous influx of Syrian nationals into Lebanon.         

MP Aoun also pointed out that the number of refugees is considered a challenge for the country, pointing out that addressing this issue should be the Lebanese state’s priority.