Press Digest for Friday June 27, 2014

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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.

Minister of Justice Rifi: Lebanon must elect new president, control borders and make Hezbollah withdraw from Syria

Minister of Justice Achraf Rifi told al-Mustaqbal newspaper on Friday that Lebanese leaders must elect a new president for the country, control the borders and make Hezbollah withdraw from Syria in order to "protect Lebanon from security threats."

Rifi also noted that a cabinet session must be held in the presence of the security leaders to set a strategy that would spare the country the repercussions of the regional crisis.

Meanwhile, sources told al-Liwaa newspaper on Friday that Saudi Arabia will dispatch a security team to assist the Lebanese security apparatuses in the investigations carried out with the arrested Saudi terrorist Abdel Rahman al-Shneyfi who was injured in Beirut's Raouche suicide bombing.

Berri says pessimist over the possibility of electing a president during the next cabinet session- sources

Visitors of Speaker Nabih Berri quoted him as saying on Friday that the Lebanese Armed Forces and the security apparatuses must be provided with funds and weapons in order to address the terrorist attacks.

In a statement to al-Joumhouria newspaper, the sources quoted Berri as stressing the importance of holding the presidential elections, voicing however Berri's pessimism over the possibility of electing a new head of state during the next election session.

According to the sources, Berri hailed the performance of Prime Minister Tammam Salam in reaching an agreement with Lebanese leaders over the government's work mechanism during the presidential vacuum.

Russian ambassador Saspkin says Russia is deploying efforts to reach political agreement in Syria and Iraq

Russian ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Saspkin told As-Safir newspaper on Friday that Russia will always support Lebanon's unity and sovereignty.

He also called on Lebanese leaders to reach consensus over a new president for the country, adding that the decision in this regard remains an internal affair.

Saspkin concluded by stressing that Russia is deploying efforts to reach a political agreement in Syria and Iraq.

Terrorist Monzer al-Hassan notified Raouche suicide bombers about the General Security raid-sources

Security sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper on Friday that the interrogations carried out with the arrested terrorist who was injured during Beirut's Raouche suicide bombing are being kept under wraps.

The same sources added that the said terrorist revealed in his confessions dangerous information about the person who provided him with suicide vests and explosives and who was identified as Monzer al-Hassan.

According to the daily, the sources said that al-Hassan was born in the town of Bezbina in Lebanon's northern Akkar district to a mother from Syria's Aleppo, adding that al-Hassan notified the two terrorists in the Duroy Hotel about the General Security raid.