- An-Nahar: Syrian Mufti praises Rai remarks, intends to visit Lebanon
Syrian Grand Mufti Sheikh Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun told An-Nahar daily that he is planning a trip to Lebanon in order to meet with various members of the Lebanese religious leadership, adding that the exact and precise date has yet to be determined.
Hassoun stressed he had always intended on paying such a visit and the idea resurfaced following the statements made by the Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai from Paris.
Hassoun described Rai’s remarks as “an expression of [Rai’s] concern for the security and stability of the region”, adding that he already contacted the patriarch to extend his warm congratulations on his speech in France.
The local newspaper quoted Hassoun as saying that his visit aims at discussing with Lebanon’s religious authorities the ways to save the Middle East from extremism while maintaining security, stability and peaceful coexistence.
Speaking on Syria’s domestic affairs, Hassoun said: “The situation is improving”, adding that the protests organized this Friday calling for “opposition to unify are the best to date.”
- Soueid: Rai’s timing couldn’t be worse
March 14 General Secretariat coordinator Fares Soueid voiced his regret that, at this crucial time in the history of the Arab world, the Christians seem to be only interested in the details pertaining to daily life.
Soueid told Al-Joumhouria daily that the attempt of Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai to portray the Christians as united around any given issue is harmful to the overall situation. Speaking on the spiritual summit that will be held in Dar al Fatwa on Tuesday, Soueid stressed that the importance of the meeting lies in its outcomes.
- Ogassapian: Commitments must be translated into STL funding
Future bloc MP Jean Ogassapian urged PM Najib Mikati to take concrete steps that will settle once and for all the issue of funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL).
Ogassapian also called on PM Mikati to fund the STL’s activities from the budget reserves in case the funding is not approved by the cabinet.
Acharq al Awsat daily quoted Ogassapian as saying: “I find it odd that neither the President nor the PM have taken any tangible steps in this direction, in spite of their public commitment to STL funding.”
Ogassapian added that although PM Mikati and President Michel Sleiman determine the items to be included in the cabinet’s agenda together, no item pertaining to STL funding was featured in any agenda set to be examined by the cabinet.
- Al-Joumhouria: Electoral law unifies Maronites
The Head of Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun told Al-Joumhouria daily that everyone is entitled to their opinion on the electoral law, stressing the importance of taking our Muslim partners into consideration so that the electoral law would be accepted by all parties.
The daily cited Aoun as saying: “When an agreement is reached, all components of the Lebanese society should be presented with the opportunity to examine it”, voicing hope that the solution reached will suit everyone.
On the other hand, the Head of the Lebanese Forces party Samir Geagea said that he did not attend the lunch banquet organized in Bekerke because he was busy with last-minute preparations for the mass held to commemorate the martyrs of the Lebanese Forces.
Kataeb bloc MP Nadim Gemayel told Al-Joumhouria that neither the elections nor the electoral law will matter so long as illegitimate weapons threaten, not only Christian MPs, but all 128 Members of Parliament.
For his part, Kataeb MP Sami Gemayel voiced hope that such meetings, in reference to the Maronite meeting held in Bekerke on Friday, will be held more often until a widely accepted electoral law is reached.
Speaking on whether the proportional representation system suits the aspirations of the Kataeb party, Gemayel told Al-Joumhouria: “Meetings are still being held to make the right decision, but we have not made a decisive choice yet.”
- Ghosn: Worker Union will not abandon wage raise
The Head of the Lebanese General Workers’ Union Ghassan Ghosn said that the union will not renounce the workers’ right to a wage raise.
Ghosn told Shabab Assafir newspaper that the union will not abandon the workers’ demands to a 200 thousand LBP raise, for it is the minimum required for any human being to live a decent life.
The newspaper quoted Ghosn as saying: “We will rely on the people, regardless of political affiliation, to support the union’s demands, since it is for everyone.”