Press Digest for Sunday April 1, 2012

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.  

• Charbel: Sleiman and Mikati back my proportional representation draft
  

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel told An-Nahar daily that both President Michel Sleiman and PM Najib Mikati endorsed his version of an electoral draft law based on proportional representation.  

Charbel said he expects that his draft will be soon submitted to the cabinet that will look into it. 

“The cabinet might examine my draft during the session that will follow Tuesday’s session”, Charbel added.     

• Mikati: Discussions were centered on electoral law
  

PM Najib Mikati told An-Nahar daily that he discussed with President Michel Sleiman the approach that will be adopted to deal with the electoral law. Sleiman’s remarks came following a meeting with Sleiman and Interior Minister Marwan Charbel to discuss the electoral law. 

   

• Ghosn: Smuggling weapons into Syria is a reality
  

Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn told An-Nahar daily that smuggling weapons into Syria across the Lebanese border is a reality, stressing that the army is sparing no effort to fight this phenomena.  

Ghosn added that the army is operating within available means to tighten border control.  

The local daily quoted Ghosn as saying that the southern border is calm, adding “the LAF is cooperating with all positivity and seriousness with the UNIFIL”.  

The defense minister voiced hope that Christians will follow in the footsteps of Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai since he is keen on the Christians’ best interest, their presence in the region and their future. 

• Qabbani: Bassil’s insistence on gas operating cars raises suspicions
  

Future movement MP Mohammad Qabbani told Al-Mustaqbal daily that the way Energy Minister Gebran Bassil is clinging to the idea of cars operating on gas raises “suspicious”. Qabbani added that Bassil has been boycotting the meetings held by the Public Transportation, Energy and Water Parliamentary Committee ever since it voted against such cars.  

“Bassil is selling gas and trying to show the public that he is keen on their interest while his actions are oriented towards his own personal interests and gains”, Qabbani said.  

Qabbani depicted the cabinet’s decision to rent electricity generating ships as illegal, voicing regret that some officials adopted this idea and considered it as the right solution for the electricity crisis.