Press Digest for Sunday March 18, 2012

4^min

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.

Mikati: No party will benefit from cabinet collapse, appointments soon settled

PM Najib Mikati told An-Nahar daily that no party will benefit from the collapse of the current cabinet, stressing that it is forging ahead in spite of the few obstacles and hindrances that have emerged regarding appointments.

Mikati added that the majority of administrative appointment will soon be settled, while a number of appointments that should be filled by Christians are likely to remain pending waiting for a solution.

“All other appointments included in the mechanism have been settled and will be soon submitted to the cabinet, in line with the appropriate mechanism”, Mikati added. Speaking on the issue of public finances, the Premier said that the cabinet will convene on Monday to settle the matter.

“[Finance] Minister Mohammad Safadi prepared all needed numbers and presented me with a draft law two days ago”, Mikati said “discussions are ongoing to examine some expressions used in the draft that will be on the agenda of Wednesday’s session or the one after”.

Mikati said that MP Walid Jumblatt did not change stances in the cabinet “because of his position towards the Syrian crisis”.

Mikati reassured that no external pressures are being exerted against the Lebanese banking sector, adding that next week U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury will visit Lebanon. “I will make sure to convey Lebanon’s willingness to abide by international laws to safeguard the banking sector”, Mikati stressed.

Spiritual summit will be held on March 25 in Bkerke

A spiritual summit is scheduled for Sunday March 25 in Bkerke to commemorate the first annual anniversary of the appointment of Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai. An-Nahar daily reported that heads of sects will participate in the summit.

The summit will discuss the regional developments and means to fortify the Lebanese domestic scene through intensive dialogue and meetings.

Aridi: Appointments should do justice to competent candidates

Public Works Minister Ghazi Aridi told An-Nahar daily that the National Struggle Front works according to its tenets. Aridi stressed that, in regard to appointments, they aim at doing justice to those who are competent regardless of their political or sectarian affiliations.

Turning to the issue of public finances and overspending, Aridi said that they will not get involved in a political settlement. “After the year 2005, all consecutive cabinets resorted to credits which are illegal”, Aridi added. The minister underscored the need for a draft law that sets the spending ceiling.

Aridi praised the call of Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah for dialogue on the defense strategy, saying: “We have to seize the opportunity by holding a round table immediately. In the past, other parties, including the Progressive Socialist Party, presented their documents regarding the defense strategy. These documents should be put up for discussion.”

Aridi added that the PSP is in contact with the Future movement through partisan and political institutions such as the parliament, ruling out the possibility that Jumblatt is being subject to preconditions for traveling to Saudi Arabia.

Speaking on the Syrian situation, Aridi stressed that the PSP leader will not interfere in Syrian affairs, adding that he does not own weapons and cannot mobilize armies. “Jumblatt has his own take on things no more no less”, Aridi said.