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.
- Aoun: Sleiman and Mikati are
plotting against me but I am staying in the government
As-Safir newspaper reported
that Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun accused PM Najib Mikati of
misusing his power and overriding the constitution, mainly article 65 according
to which the cabinet should hold periodic meeting. Aoun said that Mikati does
not have the right to simply cancel these meetings.
“It is normal that we disagree
with Mikati on this issue or that, on this name or that”, Aoun said wondering “Why
does he want to confiscate our right to diversity and difference, and why didn’t
he ask the cabinet to vote on the appointments he suggested in order to resolve
the debate according to the constitution that stipulates voting should there be
no consensus?”
Aoun said that Mikati knew
that he would lose, that is why he decided to violate both the democratic
process and the constitution by halting the cabinet’s meetings.
Aoun denied being the one who
is hampering the government’s work and productivity, accusing Mikati of being
directly responsible for the disruption.
“Failing to appoint the right
person at the head of the High Judicial Council is a striking proof of the
disruptive trend of the many projects presented by the bloc, along with the
budget.”
Aoun said that President
Sleiman and PM Mikati are dividing roles to confront him and hiding behind each
other “as if there was a contract or a deal between them against him”.
Aoun
stressed that his bloc does not succumb to blackmail or fear, noting
that the other camp does not want to assign a good judge or
find a sound management system because they are primarily afraid of the financial file’s
implications.
Aoun said that the imbalance in the government started since its formation when the bloc gave President
Sleiman some of its seats; “now the president is using the ministerial share we
granted him against us, leading to the current cabinet equation”.
Aoun
added that what Mikati did during the last cabinet meeting shows that he is still practicing the policy of
his predecessors in an attempt to dominate and confiscate the Christian
decision. “By freezing the cabinet sessions, Mikati is trying to gain time and
avoid critical due dates ahead, including the STL protocol”.
“I
am staying in this government in order not to leave them act on their whim”,
Aoun said, adding that though there is no resignation looming in the horizon,
he is ready to undermine the government when he finds it necessary.
A Lebanese military source told
An-Nahar
newspaper that the operation that kicked-off on the Lebanese borders is ongoing
in a series of consecutive operations that are not limited to the northern
border. The source added that the military campaign that started last Friday
was planned a while ago but its execution date was set according to better
weather conditions in the region.
The source stressed that this military operation,
one of many consecutive operations, is ongoing, adding that the LAF will enter
all the regions exposed to security threats. “The operation includes raids and
searches for smugglers and weapons”.
The same source revealed that the LAF has a
list with the smugglers’ names and that the campaign resulted in the arrest of
several persons, refusing to disclose their numbers or even nationalities.
Al-Joumhouriya newspaper quoted a
diplomatic source as saying that Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu stressed
during the 48th session of the World Security Conference that his
country does not support a military interference in Syria unless the U.N.
issues a relevant resolution based on humanitarian reasons.
The source added
that Turkey is concerned with this issue more than anyone else, since it has a
910 km common border with Syria.