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.
The Secretary General of the
future movement Ahmad Hariri said that the electoral battle in Koura has a
regulatory-electoral and political orientation, noting that March 14 considers
it as an introduction to the 2013 general elections.
Commenting on the deployment
of the army in the North Hariri said: “we called for the deployment of the army
on the borders years ago, our relationship with the Army is clear despite the
obstacles that went through”.
Speaking to
An-Nahar Daily,
Hariri said that Sheikh Ahmad Assir and other cases are the result of Hezbollah’s
policy to politically isolate the Future movement in 2011. He pointed that such
policy does not suit the people and lead to similar positions as Sheikh Assir’s.
Hariri called on the government
to end Sheikh Assir’s sit-in in Sidon or to reach an agreement, noting that
blocking the road is affecting Sidon’s residents and traders.
A French official source
told
Al-Hayat Newspaper that the case of equipping the Lebanese Army with HOT
Missiles is still under study by the political French side.
The same source noted that
during the meeting between the Lebanese President Michel Sleiman and his French
counterpart Francois Hollande, Sleiman raised the issue of supplying the
Lebanese Army with HOT missiles. It was reported that France is willing to
resolve this problem delayed by the Military side.
Accordingly, the source
reported that Sleiman asked that Lebanon would be considered among the
countries of the Arab Spring to benefit from “Deauville Partnership”, which was
established to provide the countries that witnessed revolutions with economic support.
- Adwan: Koura elections, a
battle of choices
The Lebanese Forces
vice-president, MP Georges Adwan described the Koura sub-elections as a factor
to identify the people’s choice, amid political division taking over the
Lebanese scene between March 14 and March 8.
In a statement to
Acharq
al-Awsat Daily, Adwan stressed that March 14’s choice to adhere to the project
of a state is stable, adding that the State should take control of all its
territory.
Adwan noted that the Koura
sub-election is considered as a battle of choices.
Deputy Parliament Speaker
Farid Makari said that he is contented by the security atmosphere that preceded
the Koura sub-elections, thanks to the awareness of the citizens and the
security procedures adopted.
Makari told
An-Nahar Daily
that every vote in this election is important; rejecting any reports claiming
that the difference between winner and loser will not exceed 500 votes. He stressed
that the difference will be wider.