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.
MP Imad al-Hout said that the suspension of March 14’s participation in the third
dialogue session was a response for MP Mohammad Raad’s statement and the alleged "protection of those accused in attempting to assassinate political leaders," as per Hout.
Al-Hout told
al-Liwaa Daily that March 14 suspended its participation in the
dialogue and did not call it off, giving President Michel Sleiman a chance to
prepare a real agenda for the discussions during the dialogue sessions.
In an interview with
An-Nahar newspaper, British ambassador Tom Fletcher stressed
that there are British plans to evacuate British nationals from Lebanon, in case the
situation in Syria deteriorated.
Fletcher said that current media reports on Syria include misinterpretations,
calling for working on putting an end for the repercussions of the Syrian
incidents through continuing the policy of self-dissociation and national dialogue.
- Sleiman determined to solve the issue
Sources close to the Kataeb party praised the initiative of
President Michel Sleiman to hold a meeting, noting that there is no clear
information regarding the results yet.
The sources told
al-Akhbar daily that President Sleiman
is determined to solve the issue of March 14th boycott of the national dialogue. However, sources close to Justice Minister
Shakib Qortbawi said that the agreement required staying within the #140 law pertaining to the telecommunication data issue.
The sources predicted that March 14 leaders will be informed
of the meeting’s results soon, in order for them to decide whether or not to
participate in Tuesday’s dialogue session.
Future Movement MP Ammar
Houry said that the Syrian regime is trying to portray a "false reality", stressing
that all the assumptions accusing Lebanese parties of supporting the revolution
in Syria will not change the fact that there actually is a revolution taking
place in Syria, where the "people are defending their dignity and freedom".
In a statement to
Acharq
al-Awsat newspaper, Houry said that the policy of threats and intimidation is
no longer effective, noting that these threats will not affect the revolution’s
course. He stressed that the Syrian people will punish those who support the
regime, once the crisis is over.
A source from the US
Department of State told
Acharq al-Awsat that Washington is looking for ways
outside the UN Security Council, and preparing plans to find a solution for the
Syrian crisis, after Russia and China vetoed the UNSC resolution for the third
time, defending Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime.
Lebanese Forces
vice-president MP Georges Adwan stressed March 14’s decision regarding its participation
in dialogue. “The leaderships suspended their participation in the dialogue
until all communications data, including the IMSI are handed over to the
security apparatuses”, he added.
Adwan told
al-Joumhouria
Daily that there will be no change in March 14’s position until a serious
approach of these requirements is revealed, stressing that “the hand over of the communications
data prior to Tuesday’s dialogue session is not enough to
return to dialogue”.