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.
Former Interior Minister Elias El Murr told
An-Nahar daily
that publishing the wikileaks articles only aimed at causing divide between President Michel Sleiman and people he has been friends with for the past 25 years.
The newspaper quoted him as saying: “The greatest proof that Sleiman I and do not share the same interests is that I am not part of the current cabinet.” Murr stressed, however, that his principles bring him close to the President and nothing ever could undermine their strong ties.
Murr underscored his personal support for the policies adopted by the president.
A well-informed western diplomatic source revealed that a Lebanese PM Najib Mikati paid a secret visit to Damascus after visiting France last month to participate in the “friends of Libya” meeting held in Paris,
Al-Mustaqbal daily reported.
The newspaper quoted the source as saying that Mikati flew from Paris to Damascus on a private airplane. Upon his arrival, he was welcomed by Foreign Minister Walid Muallem and former head of the Syrian Intelligence in Lebanon Lt. Gen. Rustom Ghazali. According to the source, the visit was organized, upon Mikati’s request, to discuss different issues, mainly his scheduled visit to New York to preside over the Security Council.
The sources added that Muallem called on Mikati to see whether the U.S. administration would make a trade with the Assad-regime by allowing the Syrian leadership to use its influence in Palestine and Iraq to offer the U.S. administration the necessary facilities in these two countries and in return the U.S. would be asked to ease pressures on the Syrian regime and convince the international community to follow suit.
Al-Mustaqbal daily quoted wikileaks
cable number 1857 published by the U.S. embassy in Lebanon on November 26, 2007 as saying that Head of the Marada Movement MP Sleiman Franjieh doubted the loyalty of the Head of the Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun to the opposition.
According to the cable, Franjieh “stressed the need to get Aoun on board to find a presidential candidate”, “otherwise, Aoun could make a deal with Hariri and leave the rest of the opposition out”.
Franjieh highlighted the importance of finding a candidate “who can safeguard Hezbollah’s interests”, adding that “Aoun was convinced that he has no chance to become president”.
During his meeting with then-U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman and U.S. advisors, economists and politicians, Franjieh said that he is personally working on convincing Aoun to agree on Michel Edde as president. Franjieh added that “only Aoun can influence Aoun”, since “he works on an action/reaction dynamic, and pushing him too hard on Edde could backfire.”
President Michel Sleiman told
El Shark daily
that some ambassadors wished that Lebanon’s presidency of the Security Council would be postponed to avoid putting Lebanon in an awkward position, especially when it comes to making a clear decision on the Syrian situation.
“Neither Lebanon nor the Security Council changed their stances as to the Syrian situation”, Sleiman said. Speaking on the statement made by the Head of the National Struggle
Front MP Walid Jumblatt when he said: “Sleiman is making his decision at gun point”, to which Sleiman responded: “Let everyone speak for themselves.”
Sleiman guaranteed that the national dialogue is bound to occur, without setting an exact date. Sleiman added that the most prominent issue that will be tabled during dialogue will be the national defense strategy.
“The cabinet always discusses the issue of false witnesses from a judicial perspective”, Sleiman told the newspaper.
Sleiman said that issue of funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) is being studied in a calm manner, voicing hope that the cabinet will be keen on living up to Lebanon’s commitments to the STL.
Sources told
Al-Liwaa daily that as soon as PM Najib Mikati returned from the U.S., Hezbollah demanded clarifications on the remarks he made at the Security Council session on the issue of funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL).
Sources added that Hezbollah voiced its discontent regarding Mikati’s unilateral decision that did not take into account the opinion of other ministers. The
newspaper quoted the sources as saying that Hezbollah called Mikati and asked
him to postpone the issue of STL funding in order to make the appropriate calls
that will find an exit to this issue.
On the other hand, sources close to PM Mikati refused to make any comments regarding Hezbollah’s reaction to the remarks he made at the Security Council.