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.
Well-informed sources told
al-Joumhouria daily that Prime Minister Tammam Salam told the Association of Muslim Scholars' delegation that the cabinet will not engage in a prisoner swap operation with the kidnappers, noting that such a step could negatively reflect on the military institution, the security apparatuses and the judicial system.
He also warned against any extortion attempts in this regard.
The sources added that PM Salam consulted a number of ministers regarding the measures to be taken, noting that he received a ministerial consensus over the need to be firm in dealing with the terrorist groups and to refrain from being dragged into any project that leads to exploitation of the cause.
An-Nahar newspaper reported that the visit of Kataeb party leader Amin Gemayel to Bkerke came in line with a new initiative expected to be launched by Maronite Patriarch Beshara Boutros Rai, in order to exert pressure on the Maronite leaderships to carry out their duties and assume their responsibilities.
In this regard, Rai is set to hold talks with officials from the Vatican, before heading there to tackle the latest developments in Lebanon and to discuss the outcome of the visit made by the delegation of the Patriarchs of the East to Iraq’s Erbil earlier this week.
Al-Akhbar daily quoted Ain al-Tineh visitors as saying that Speaker Nabih Berri said that “if it was not for the internal bickering and narrow interests, Lebanon would have been a beacon for the Middle East and a platform to defend the Palestinian cause and the oppressed in the region, especially the Christians who are being displaced.”
On another note, Berri told his visitors that “the Lebanese wasted an important opportunity to elect a Lebanese president, while the world powers were busy with bigger conflicts.”
According to the daily, Berri reiterated his rejection to the extension of the Parliament’s term, noting that he has not been convinced with the reasons leading to such a step.
Member of the Kataeb bloc MP Elie Marouni told
al-Liwaa newspaper that MP Michel Aoun proposed a constitutional amendment to elect a strong president who represents the Christians by the people, noting however, that electing a president by the Parliament will achieve equality between the Christians and the Muslims.
“But, if the people were to elect the president, the votes of the Christians would barely exceed 25%, while that of the Muslims would reach 70%; which means that the latter rate is the one that will bring the president in office,” Marouni explained, describing the proposal as demagogue.