Press Digest for Friday June 24, 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.

Solution for the 11 Lebanese abductees’ case looming in the horizon

An-Nahar Daily reported on Friday that Interior Minister Marwan Charbel reassured the relatives of the 11 Lebanese abductees in Syria that since his visit to Turkey with the head of the General Security Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim five days ago, their case is “on the right track and a solution is looming in the horizon.”

“But we are waiting for a phone call from Turkey in order to head to Ankara again”, he said.

At a time when Maj. Gen. Ibrahim visited the al-Mokdad family Thursday evening to brief its members on the latest negotiations with Turkey, an-Nahar Daily quoted well-informed sources as saying that the news on abductee Hassan al-Mokdad were not all positive.

Samaha remains silent during interrogation, requests summoning of Kfoury

Well-informed judicial sources revealed to Al-Hayat Daily on Friday that former minister Michel Samaha who is in the custody of the military police has declined to answer the questions of First Military Investigation Judge Riad Abou Ghida during his last interrogation session.

The sources said that Samaha informed the detective that he will remain silent until witness Milad Kfoury is summoned for interrogation and confronts him. The sources revealed that Samaha’s position does not hinder the course of investigations, adding that Samaha’s attorneys presented a comprehensive memorandum on Wednesday calling for the annulment of the preliminary investigations conducted with Samaha at the ISF’s Information Division, reiterating their demand to summon Kfoury.

Charbel: Government is working on loosening all knots

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel told Al-Liwaa Daily on Friday that the agreement reached following the meeting held in Tripoli yesterday is based on “consolidating security and stability, accelerating the development process, development projects and reconciliation between Tripoli’s different factions”. However, Charbel considered that this process is “not easy since it has ramified external links”, adding that the government is working on loosening all knots.

Charbel revealed that Prime Minister Najib Mikati stayed in Tripoli to continue his contacts, adding that he will personally stay in contact with all concerned parties to guarantee the implementation of the ceasefire, and that he may go back to the city today to resume his consultations.

Hezbollah provides lodgings and food to displaced Syrians

Al-Akhbar Daily reported on Friday that Hezbollah began distributing in-kind assistance and food rations to displaced Syrians spread over a number of schools and community centers in the Chouf coast and in several villages in the western Bekaa, a Hezbollah stronghold.

The Daily pointed out that the party rented houses to accommodate the displaced Syrians and is providing them with food and medical care through its institutions.