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.
- Sleiman accepts extension of Parliament’s mandate
in one case only
An official source reported to
As-Safir Daily that President Michel Sleiman is completely against the extension of the Parliament's mandate, even if all political parties agree on it.
However, the source noted that the
President will accept the extension only in case rival parties reach a consensus
over an electoral law which ensures fair representation and reduces tension in
the country, and if passing this law requires more time and delays, the
President will not mind any decision to extend the Parliament’s mandate.
On the other hand, well-informed
sources said that Sleiman will continue the necessary contacts to ensure that dialogue session is held on the 7th of January, pointing that
“the positions of March 8 and March 14 camps have not yet changed, making it difficult
to alter the existing political and national equations.”
The same sources told
Al-Joumhouria
Newspaper that postponing dialogue does not have any negative repercussions,
stressing that March 14 forces said following their meeting at Beit al-Wasat
that “this postponement was inevitable.”
In turn, one of the participants in
the Beit al-Wasat gathering noted that the discussions tackled how March 14
explains its decision to boycott , stressing that this stance does
not affect the President whatsoever.
Also on March 14 positions,
An-Nahar
Daily reported that, following a meeting with a delegation from the Lebanese
Forces Bloc, the Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Beshara Rai expressed “his deep
understanding of the security situation faced by March 14 leaderships,” calling
on authorities to take necessary measures in this regard.
In this context, Rai expressed his
understanding of the LF’s stance over the dialogue, without boycotting the
President’s decisions. He also set up a “permanent contact mechanism” due to
the security condition of the Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea.
- Charbel: We hope elections will be
held on time
Interior and Municipalities Minister
Marwan Charbel expressed hope that the parliamentary elections will be held as
scheduled, noting that he awaits the electoral draft law referred to
the Parliament by cabinet.
In an interview with
al-Liwaa Daily,
Charbel noted that the new electoral draft law stipulates that elections will
be held over two phases. In the first phase, every sect elects its own deputies
on a proportional basis, and in the second the majoritarian system takes the lead in determining the final results.
Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas told
As-Safir Daily that as of the 10th of December, it is expected that the issue of
the pay scale funding will see positive progress.
In this regard, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati commenced a series of meetings, in order to find sources to
fund the pay scale.
Accordingly, governmental sources told
al-Liwaa Daily that
the cabinet is serious and decisive in discussing this pending issue, stressing
that the retirees’ wages constitute a great pressure on the Lebanese economy,
especially that a number of ministers refuse to reduce them.
An-Nahar Daily reported that the Military Investigative
Judge Riad Abou Ghaida received a report from the Criminal Evidence Department
concerning the case of the former Minister Michel Samaha, but the report’s
content remains unknown.
The newspaper noted that no new developments were reported
regarding sending a judicial request to Syria in order to file a lawsuit
against Ali Mamlouk.