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.
Interior and Municipalities Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq said that he is confident that the visit to Qatar will have positive results that will soon be revealed.
In a statement to
al-Mustaqbal daily, the minister stressed that there is a clear Qatari intention to help Lebanon in the case of the abducted soldiers, noting that the security meeting held by the Qatari, Turkish and Lebanese authorities proved that the case is being handled in a serious manner.
In this regard, al-Mashnouq stressed that guaranteeing the safe release of the soldiers is currently a major priority, adding that the Qatari Emir promised to also help Lebanon in regards to the prisons crisis.
On another note, the interior minister told
al-Nahar daily that he has assumed all of his responsibilities regarding the preparations for the parliamentary elections, pointing out however, that he cannot confirm that the elections will be held due to the security situation.
“This matter requires a political decision to be made by both the cabinet and Parliament,” he stated.
Sources from the delegation that accompanied Prime Minister Tammam Salam to Qatar described the visit as “successful on all levels,” noting that the Lebanese delegation was distinctively welcomed by Qatari officials.
In a statement to
al-Joumhouria newspaper, the source revealed that the Qatari Emir said his country is ready to help the Lebanese parties reach an agreement over all issues, mainly that related to the presidential vacuum, which can resolve many of the pending matters and revive the role of constitutional institutions.
In this context, the source quoted the Emir as stressing the importance of electing a new president in Lebanon, in order for the country to regain its position in the Arab World.
Al-Akhbar daily reported that there is no disagreement between Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement, noting however, that a difference in stances was registered regarding Lebanon’s participation in a meeting held in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia last Thursday, dedicated to form an international alliance against the Islamic State.
In this context, sources close to Hezbollah told the newspaper that “the party does not accept that Lebanon participate in an alliance to fight the Islamic State, hosted by those who were the reason behind the creation of this organization, and who decided to act only when the IS tried to affect US-Saudi interests.”
The same sources stated that the decision concerning Lebanon’s participation in the said meeting was not presented to the cabinet for discussion, but was made in coordination between Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil and Prime Minister Tammam Salam.
The Secretary General of the Future Movement Ahmad Hariri said that the cabinet is assuming its responsibilities, amid the current troubled political situation in Lebanon and the region.
In this context, Hariri stressed the importance of the cabinet’s role during the current situation, stating that “the situation can be a lot worse without a president and a government simultaneously.”