• Lebanon's letters to U.N. are worthless
An-Nahar daily quoted diplomatic sources on Tuesday as saying the letters that Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour addressed to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon are an exercise in futility.
Mansour's letters said "the geographical demarcation that Israel submitted to the U.N. of the northern part of its regional water and exclusive economic zone violates Lebanon's sovereignty and economic rights."
Israel and Lebanon both lay claim to a disputed area that spans some 850 square kilometers. The area, off the coastline between the two countries is said to be rich in gas and oil resources.
"The U.N. is to stay out of the maritime border spat because it believes such conflicts should be settled through an agreement reached between the countries in question," sources said, adding that, according to international law, the letters do not ensure Lebanon's or Israel's rights.
• Qazan: Blanford does not know the interviewer's identity
An-Nahar daily quoted Hussein Qazan, the attorney of Lebanon correspondent for the U.S. TIME magazine Nicholas Blanford, on Tuesday as saying that he informed Prosecutor General Said Mirza that his client did not conduct the interview with one of the four accused in the 2005 Hariri's assassination.
Qazan stressed that Blanford's only contribution to the story was the first paragraph, which was taken from an article he was writing for the magazine.
"My client does not know the identity of the interviewer", Qazan said, adding that Blanford does not hold any further information on the matter.
• Cabinet's survival is at stake: Bassil
As-Safir daily quoted Energy Minister Gebran Bassil on Tuesday as saying that he answered questions on the electricity draft law that was tabled during Monday's ministerial meeting.
"The Cabinet's survival is at stake", Bassil said. He added that the electricity plan was an integral part of the ministerial statement, and if the draft law does not pass it will undermine confidence in the government.
"The draft law is a rescue plan for the electricity crisis", Bassil said, adding "we will not go back on this plan for we refuse to destabilize the cabinet."
• Hezbollah's defense of the accused raises questions: Majdalani
Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Siyasa quoted Future Bloc MP Atef Majdalani on Tuesday as saying that the Government's refusal to take an official stance on the indictment, be it positive or negative, highlights the contradictory positions of the ministers.
"Hezbollah's insistence that the four accused are innocent increases suspicions on the party's involvement in the 2005 Hariri's assassination", Majdalani said.
• Mufti of Bekaa: Syrian regime does not represent its people
The Mufti of Bekaa Sheikh Khalil al-Mays expressed his support on Tuesday to the anti-Assad protests in Tripoli and regions of Akar.
Asharq al-awsat daily quoted the Mufti as saying that "the Syrian regime does not represent its people that are adamant to live their lives with dignity and freedom."