Press Digest for Friday May 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.

• PM Salam says disruption of cabinet's work is a political decision     

Prime Minister Tammam Salam expressed fears on Friday that the presidential vacuum would spillover to the council of ministers, hoping the government would avoid such a political paralysis.

“The disruption of the cabinet's work is a political decision,” Salam told As-Safir daily, saying: “I am afraid it may take place … due to the current power vacuum.”       

Salam also hoped that any disruption of the cabinet's work would not take a toll on the "stable" security situation, which has been seen as "the biggest achievement yet".        

• Kataeb MP Gemayel voices rejection to Lebanon's presidential vacancy      

Kataeb bloc MP Nadim Gemayel voiced on Friday his rejection to the current power vacuum, and said: "It may be a requirement to take to the streets in a bid to elect a new head of state".         

Gemayel also told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that the March 14 coalition is adamant on supporting the candidacy of Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, calling on the March 8 deputies to attend parliamentary sessions and elect a new president.          

• Makari says Aoun's attempts to reach consensus with Hariri will not pay off          

Deputy Speaker Farid Makari said "the lawmakers who boycotted the second presidential election session benefit from power vacuum which serves their policies ambitions at the local and regional levels".       

In an interview with the Kuwait-based Al Anbaa newspaper, Makari urged Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun to stop boycotting sessions and allow the democratic process to take place while holding the presidential elections.            

"Aoun's attempts to reach consensus with Future Movement head MP Saad Hariri will not pay off," he said, adding that the latter wants the presidential elections to be "a Christian choice".          

• March 8, 14 coalitions reject Bassil's proposal to boycott cabinet sessions        

Ministerial sources told Al Mustaqbal daily on Friday that Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil held contacts, in the last few days, with Christian ministers within the March 14 alliance.     

Bassil urged them to take a unified Christian stance to boycott cabinet sessions, noting that cabinet decisions are deemed "unconstitutional" amid the current power vacuum.         

Nonetheless, the minister's proposal was rejected by the March 14 ministers, Culture Minister Roni Araiji of the Marada Movement as well as ministers of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement.