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.
National Struggle Front leader MP Walid Jumblatt stated on Wednesday that the time is appropriate to reveal details pertaining to the Saudi grant for Lebanon, pointing out that security forces are in dire need of new equipment.
On another note, MP Jumblatt told As-Safir newspaper that he is not against extending the parliament’s mandate if this extension serves the election of a new president.
“In this case, prolonging the mandate of parliament should only last a couple of months,” Jumblatt said.
Prime Minister Tammam Salam told An-Nahar newspaper on Wednesday that only a political solution may end the conflicts pertaining to Electricite Du Liban contract workers and the dossier of series of ranks and salaries.
In this regard, PM Salam stated that Lebanese factions should at first agree to end the presidential deadlock and then hold the parliamentary elections, stressing that after this stage the cabinet will be able to fulfill its duties.
“In the absence of consensus among Lebanese factions, the work of all state institutions will remain paralyzed,” Salam said.
Following the proposal of MP Nabil Fattouch, which stipulates the extension of parliament’s mandate, visitors of House Speaker Nabih Berri quoted him as saying that he is against the prolongation of the mandate even if it were approved by the majority of deputies.
“We extended the parliament’s mandate for 1 year and 7 months in order to elect a new president on due date, but we failed to achieve this goal,” Speaker Berri was quoted as saying.
The visitors also told As-Safir newspaper that Berri considers rejecting the extension of parliament’s mandate a means to exert pressure on deputies to elect a new president.
Regarding his latest meeting with former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Berri told his visitors that he stressed with the latter the necessity of prioritizing the election of a new president in order to reactivate the work of the cabinet and parliament.
Labor Minister Sejaan Azzi told Al-Akhbar newspaper on Wednesday that the Kataeb party is against extending parliament’s mandate for a second time, stressing that the party’s position is constitutional since deputies may not legislate in the absence of a president.
Azzi noted that the Kataeb party will not change its stance regarding the parliament’s mandate, calling on deputies to ensure quorum in order to end the presidential deadlock.
Security sources reported to An-Nahar newspaper on Wednesday that there are no direct negotiations aimed at releasing the soldiers who were kidnapped during clashes with armed groups in Arsal.
In this regard, the sources expressed their concern that the abduction of the soldiers may last for a longer period, emphasizing that the demands of kidnappers are not clear.
Meanwhile, a security source told An-Nahar that new mediators will exert their efforts to release the captives, pointing out that the abductors did not leave Lebanon and are still in the mountainous region surrounding the northeastern border town of Arsal.