Press Digest for Tuesday September 02, 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.

• Potential release of Islamist inmates will lead to more kidnappings -sources     

"Approving the release of Islamist prisoners in exchange for kidnapped Lebanese troops will pave the way for more kidnappings," political and security sources told Al-Akhbar newspaper on Tuesday.     

"The potential release of inmates will make all soldiers and security forces members prone to further kidnapping attempts at any given moment," the same sources said.
   
In the same regard, sources with knowledge of the Lebanese captives dossier said negotiations are underway to release them.     
   

• MP Houry says March 14 forces will continue to attend presidential election sessions          

Future bloc MP Ammar Houry said on Tuesday that the presidential election issue remains stalled, noting that today's presidential session will not yield positive results.        

In an interview with Al-Joumhouria daily, Houry said the March 14 forces are mulling a new initiative that aims to break the stalemate over the presidential elections, adding that it will be submitted upon finalization.         

"Members of the March 14 coalition will continue to attend presidential election sessions until a new head of state is elected," he said.    
         

• Former PM Hariri revives 2010 arms grant from Russia        

Sources close to former Prime Minister Saad Hariri said on Tuesday that the latter is keen to provide more support for the Lebanese Armed Forces.
       
"Hariri's contacts with a number of Russian officials over the past two weeks have resulted in the reactivation of a military grant agreement he had signed during his official visit to Moscow in November 2010," the sources told Al-Liwaa newspaper.           

"The Lebanese army will receive the arms grant based on the renewed agreement between Hariri and the Russian leadership," the same sources added.

       

• Military delegation to visit Moscow over Russian grant to LAF -sources            

Military sources told Al-Liwaa newspaper on Tuesday that the Ministry of Defense will form a military delegation that may be chaired by Lebanese Armed Forces chief Jean Kahwaji and will visit Moscow in order to determine technical issues related to the Russian grant.          

Interior Minister Nouhad Mashnouq is also set to visit Moscow between the 18th and 22nd of September, the sources said, noting that he will discuss the possibility of buying weapons and military equipment for the security apparatuses as part of the $1 billion Saudi grant.