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.
As-Safir Daily
reported on Wednesday that a new page has been officially turned between the
U.S. State Department and the Free Patriotic Movement after years of rupture
due to the Lebanese crisis that began in 2005. Meanwhile, no news regarding the
U.S. mediation in the issue of maritime borders with Israel emerged in the meetings
held by Energy Minister Gibran Bassil in Washington over the past few days.
Exclusive
sources told the Daily that Bassil’s meetings with the U.S. Under Secretary for
Political Affairs Windy Sherman tackled the recent developments in Syria and
the region as well as the situation of Christians in Lebanon and the Middle
East.
In this regard,
Lebanese sources told
As-Safir that the U.S. showed a high level of interest
and listened carefully to the Lebanese point of view; “this shows a tangible progress
in the bilateral relations.”
The U.S. praised
the stances of the Free Patriotic Movement “that help maintain stability”, and
commended the way it is dealing with the Lebanese oil and gas file. In turn,
during the meeting, Bassil stressed that his political party wishes only to defend
and protect Lebanon, adding “Lebanon must not allow any of its citizens to
cross into Syria and fuel the crisis in order to protect the region and the
United States from the dangers of the turmoil in Syria.”
On the maritime
borders with Israel, the sources stressed that the U.S. is deploying a clear and
serious effort in this regard, “but there is a need for explanations and further details
on the ongoing U.S. mediation, under the auspices of the U.N.”
Al-Akhbar Daily reported on Wednesday that according to sources
close to the Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun, MP Gilberte Zouein is
still the strongest FPM-affiliated candidate for the upcoming Parliamentary
elections in Ftouh Kesrouan, contradicting rumors that say Roger Azar, the
mayor of Aramoun, has advantage over other Aounist candidates.
Al-Akhbar Daily reported on Wednesday that the Lebanese
Forces chief Samir Geagea and the head of the Future Movement MP Saad Hariri
agreed that Geagea will be in charge of choosing a replacement for MP Serge
Torsarkissian in Achrafieh and choosing an MP for the Shiite seat in Zahle,
since he wants to turn a new page with the Shiite sect. Geagea said his
relation with the Shiites resembles the relation of Change and Reform bloc leader
MP Michel Aoun with the Sunnis.
Al-Akhbar Daily reported on Wednesday that
the Mokdad Clan, from the Bekaa to Beirut is planning on taking to the streets to
protest against the arrest of some of its members, in light of the state’s
procrastination in resolving the case of abductee Hassan Mokdad.
Ali Hassan Ragheb al-Mokdad, one of the Clan’s
elders in the town of Makneh in northern Bekaa, stressed that the street
movement was called off during the night and was replaced by a peaceful
political movement expected to kick off today.
The Clan was planning on cutting off the
airport’s highway and setting up tents to block it completely. They were also going to cut off the Bekaa road
along the town of Makneh. These road blocks were expected to take place at 7
am this morning.
Sources close to the Clan wondered how the Mokdad
family members are thrown in jail while the state is disregarding its duties. According
to the sources, the family feels betrayed since neither Hassan al-Mokdad nor the
other Lebanese abductees were released, at a time when the state promised them
to follow up on the case.
“They are trying to scare us now by saying
that they will summon 40 members of our Clan; let them imprison the entire
Clan. Aren’t there law violations in Tripoli for example? Now they found that
the Clan is weak and they are taking advantage of the situation. Let our state
prove itself first and only then will we be ready to comply”, the Mokdad Clan
told
Al-Akhbar.
In this regard, Interior Minister Marwan
Charbel said that the Clan was not betrayed, adding “the most important thing
is that Lebanon proved to the Turks and to the world that it is a respectable
state, after being viewed as a state that is unable to recover hostages.”
Charbel told the Daily that he is personally following
up on the issue on a daily basis, stressing that he promised Turkish officials to
keep this case away from the media.
Sources close to the Future Movement and the Lebanese Forces denied
reports on a letter allegedly sent by former PM Saad Hariri to Lebanese Forces
chief Samir Geagea, calling on him to refrain from provoking National Struggle
Front leader MP Walid Jumblatt.
Meanwhile, political sources told
Al Joumhouria Daily on
Wednesday that Hariri and the Future Movement’s members are trying to reach an
electoral reconciliation between Jumblatt and Geagea.
According to well-informed sources, Jumblatt is aware that
all parties need him; in fact, House Speaker Nabih Berri may need him in 2013 to
remain in his position. He is also capable of relieving Hezbollah from the
troubles awaiting it at the dialogue table, simply by turning a blind eye to the weapons and defense strategy item.
Jumblatt is also aware that all the March 14 figures need him
to regain majority. He also believes that his former colleagues in March 14 are
always ready to cooperate with him, regardless of the circumstances and
justifications.
On the electoral law, Jumblatt said “let them scramble with draft
election laws until they tire; they will not succeed and will
eventually go back to the 1960s law”.