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.
An-Nahar Daily quoted sources close to PM Najib Mikati as saying that the
latter called President Michel Sleiman who informed him of the presidential
summit held with French President Francois Hollande on Sunday. The sources
noted that Mikati thinks that the French president’s visit could help in
setting up a plan to fortify Lebanon and protect it from the repercussions of
the regional crises.
In this context, the sources quoted Mikati as saying, before leaving the country
that “the cabinet will resign sooner or later, and this matter will be related
to the results of the president’s discussions.”
According to the same sources, Mikati is well aware that any meeting held
without the participation of a representative of March 14 will not deliver the agreement
needed for implementing a change, “because a change under the current
circumstances will re-produce the same form of government.”
Al-Joumhouria Newspaper reported that the
French President Francois Hollande heard from his Lebanese counterpart that he
is working on implementing a governmental change, without having recourse to
the streets, in order to maintain national stability.
On the other hand, Sleiman received congratulations
from Hollande regarding this initiative, stressing that American- French
cooperation is underway concerning the Lebanese situation. Hollande noted that
the US officials and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon are aware of his
brief visit to Lebanon.
According to sources, Hollande stressed that
the number of French troops working with the UNIFIL in South Lebanon is no
longer being reduced. “The French support for Lebanon is never influenced by
the presence of French forces in the South,” Hollande said, noting that France
will respond to any attack against these troops.
March 14 sources said that the participation of former PM Saad Hariri in the
royal dinner prepared for Hollande in Saudi Arabia is a clear message from Saudi
Arabia and France concerning their position from the cabinet.
The sources told
al-Akhbar Daily that the western stance over Mikati’s
cabinet is changing and shifting towards the American position.
In this context, the same sources stressed that the Saudi position is strict
and firm, and will appear during meetings between Saudi officials with the
British Prime Minister David Cameron in his upcoming visit to the Kingdom.
The opposition sources reduced the importance of Hollande’s confirmation
that he will receive Mikati, pointing that this fact is normal and of protocol.
Sources close to the armed opposition in Damascus said that the explosion
which targeted an army and security compound in Damascus came as a response to
the assassination of head of the ISF Information Branch Brig. Gen. Wissam Hassan,
and as a revenge to the attacks against East Gouta, Barzeh and Douma which have
been under Syrian forces’ military operations for two days.
In a statement to
Acharq al-Awsat, the sources held the Syrian Regime responsible
for Hassan’s assassination. “We will never forgive the criminals for the crimes
they committed in Syria and Lebanon,” the sources added.