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-Joumhouria daily revealed
that a significant number of former cadres and founders in the Free Patriotic
Movement will be announcing an opposition front against the policy adopted by
the head of Change and Reform bloc, MP Michel Aoun.
Sources have told the newspaper
that the green light was given and this front will be announced soon by a
number of figures who played an important role in the establishment of the FPM
during the Syrian occupation and contributed in bringing Aoun back to the
Lebanese political scene. The sources noted that former deputy Prime Minister
Issam Abou Jamra, who is the main opponent to Aoun, succeeded in attracting a
number of figures from the FPM, in order to create an opposition group against Aoun’s
internal policy as well as his general policy and strategy.
Relatively, it was reported
that a starting point has been determined to declare a peaceful “coup d’état”
in the party, led by General Issam Abou Jamra.
PM Najib Mikati told
As-Safir newspaper that addressing the pending matters will have a positive effect
on the cabinet, therefore on the country.
Mikati added that the
cabinet has no other choice than activating its productivity.
An-Nahar daily reported that Germany’s
Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, who will be arriving in
Beirut from Turkey on Thursday evening, in a two-day visit, will discuss, with Lebanese
officials Berlin’s position to end the repercussions
of the Syrian crisis on Lebanon and the peace plan of the UN-Arab League Envoy
Kofi Annan.
In this context, German
ambassador Birgitta Siefker -Eberle told an-Nahar
newspaper that Westerwelle will deliver clear messages to Lebanese
officials explaining Berlin’s concern over Syria’s situation and its impact on
Lebanon. Westerwelle will listen to the evaluations and show Germany’s
support to the President Michel Sleiman’s call for national dialogue between
Lebanese parties.
Eberle noted that Westerwelle will also discuss with
Lebanese officials the situation in the North and the Syrian refugees’ affairs,
as well as the latest developments in Arsal.
Sources in the opposition denied what has been said about
pressures exerted by Saudi Arabia on former PM Saad Hariri and March 14 to
participate in the dialogue that President Michel Sleiman called for. The sources
stressed that this information is “exaggerated and absolutely untrue”.
The same sources told
al-Anbaa daily that Saudi Arabia
supports the dialogue, but the decision on whether to participate or not should
be made by March 14 only.
The sources revealed that March 14 issued a memo to the
President regarding the participation in the dialogue and the opposition’s demands.
Al-Anbaa daily reported that March 14 will participate in
the dialogue.
Sources close to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia told
al-Akhbar
daily that the last letter sent by the King Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz to the
President Michel Sleiman did not pass by the Saudi foreign ministry, instead it
was issued by the Royal Court without the recommendation of the Saudi committee
charged with the Lebanese affairs.
The sources made a connection between these facts and the
last statement of the Saudi Foreign Minister, in which he spoke of the
situation in Lebanon without mentioning the national dialogue.