Press Digest for Wednesday September 03, 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.

• March 14 to kick off talks with Hezbollah within framework of presidential initiative - sources

March 14 sources revealed that the coalition will kick off its new initiative aiming at ending the presidential impasse, and will directly start its meetings with Hezbollah at the Parliament.

The sources added that Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan proposed this step, on the condition that he will hold talks with the head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammad Raad.

In a statement to an-Nahar daily, the same sources pointed out that the head of the Future bloc Fouad Siniora will meet with Speaker Nabih Berri, while dialogue is ongoing with the head of the National Struggle Front MP Walid Jumblatt, whose political movement helped this presidential initiative.

• Derbass: Political discussion over fate of abducted soldiers to top agenda of Thursday’s session

Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbass declared that Thursday’s cabinet session will witness a deep and thorough discussion over the fate of the abducted members of the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces.

In a statement to an-Nahar newspaper, Derbass said that the gravity of the case urges the political forces to unite over one position in order to solve this issue.

On another note, the minister stressed that the individual who wrote “hostile expressions” on the walls of St. Elie Church and school in the northern city of Tripoli, is not a Muslim, noting that 65% of the school’s students are Muslims.

• PM Salam says financial situation as dangerous as security situation

Prime Minister Tammam Salam said that the financial situation is not less important than the security situation amid the current critical and decisive circumstances overshadowing the country.

In this regard, Salam told an-Nahar daily that he will call soon for holding a cabinet session to discuss the financial situation, in light of the remarks to be presented by the ministers regarding the report of the finance minister.

Salam noted that he received the draft law of the 2015 budget, pointing out that the 2014 budget draft law has been pending a decision regarding the ranks and salaries scale.  

• Minister al-Mashnouq says decision to conduct prisoner swap to be made by cabinet

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq stressed that the decision to conduct a prisoner swap operation to release the abducted soldiers must be made by the cabinet.

In a statement to al-Joumhouria daily, al-Mashnouq said that the case of the abducted soldiers is not on the agenda of the cabinet session, noting however, that the file, as well as the conditions of the kidnappers will be mentioned at the beginning of the session.