Press Digest for Sunday June 29, 2014

3^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.

Aoun to tackle parliamentary elections during press conference – sources

As-Safir newspaper reported that the head of Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun is expected to tackle the issue of the parliamentary elections during his awaited press conference, adding that he might discuss an electoral law proposal, which was described as “an amended version of the Orthodox draft law.”

In this regard, sources noted that Aoun decided to take this step due to the latest developments taking place on the local and international scenes, “especially after the Paris meetings failed to solve the presidential impasse.”

Future movement sources: Presidential elections a priority

Senior sources from the Future Movement denounced the attempts to bring up the issue of the parliamentary elections, while the case of presidential vacuum remains suspended.

In a statement to an-Nahar daily, the sources stressed the need to hold the parliamentary elections, while taking into consideration the security and political circumstances in the country, pointing out that the most important issue at hand remains the presidential elections.

Fletcher: British, French, US and Saudi efforts exerted to end presidential vacuum

British Ambassador to Lebanon Tom Fletcher revealed that contacts are underway between Britain, France, US and Saudi Arabia, in a bid to find means to put an end to the Lebanese presidential vacuum.

In a statement to al-Mustaqbal daily, Fletcher said that the Maronite Patriarch Beshara Boutros Rai tackled the issue of the presidential void during the ambassadors’ meeting held last Wednesday, where he told the conferees that he is deploying efforts in order to convince the parliamentary blocs of attending the Parliament’s session and elect a new president.

“We support the patriarch’s efforts exerted to resolve the presidential issue as soon as possible,” the ambassador said, noting that his country remains neutral in terms of the identity of the next president.