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.
Al-Hayat daily quoted diplomatic sources as saying that “the foreign initiatives related to the presidential issue will continue in order to urge regional powers to play their role in ending the vacuum,” noting that the European Union is looking into the possibility of sending a delegation to Teheran to press it into action with its Lebanese allies.
The same sources explained that the EU Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst, French Ambassador to Lebanon Patrice Paoli and the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Sigrid Kaag met on Tuesday with Prime Minister Tammam Salam and discussed with him Lebanon’s delay in approving several draft laws in the cabinet and Parliament.
Labor Minister Sejaan Azzi stressed that the head of the Kataeb Party Amin Gemayel supports the dialogue between the Lebanese Forces and the Free Patriotic Movement, noting however that a bilateral dialogue is not capable of resulting in an agreement over a presidential candidate without consulting other concerned parties.
In a statement to as-Safir daily, Minister Azzi said that “the Kataeb party had informed its allies of dialogues previously held with the FPM and Marada Movement,” stressing the need for the Lebanese Forces to inform the Kataeb of the course of its movements.
On another note, Azzi said that the consultative meeting hosted by Kataeb head Amin Gemayel last week, came as a warning to all the Lebanese parties that the country cannot be held hostage while conflicts between internal parties continue.
As-Safir newspaper quoted sources concerned with the oil and gas sector in Lebanon as saying that the neglect practiced by the authorities can be categorized as a crime against Lebanon and its oil reserve.
The sources revealed that, during the wasted time, Israel was capable of signing intentional messages with Amman and Cairo, in order to supply Jordan with USD 15 billion worth of Israeli gas, and Egypt USD 17 billion worth of gas for the private sector and USD 15 billion for the public sector.
“A total of USD 47 billion that Lebanon could have gained, had it invested in the opportunity when it first loomed,” the sources added.
In this regard, the newspaper cited European diplomatic sources in Beirut as saying that some parties in Lebanon are set to deliver the data of the geophysical survey conducted in the northern region to the Norwegian oil and energy committee, to take the necessary action.
Al-Hayat newspaper reported that Hezbollah raised the presidential issue during a dialogue session with the Future Movement, calling for electing a president who enjoys wide Christian representation and is not subject to foreign pressure or conditions.
According to the daily, Hezbollah’s representatives said that these qualifications apply to MP Michel Aoun, who has been receiving the support of the Shiite party for the presidency.
In this context, sources said that the Future parliamentary bloc considered that Hezbollah has chosen its candidate for the presidency and is attempting to impose him on all the Lebanese people.