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.
Lebanese Prime Minister
Najib Mikati stressed that a new security plan to be
implemented by the Lebanese Army in the city of Tripoli has been agreed upon. The plan is set in order to end the
ongoing chaos, noting that its practical implementation has kicked off
on the ground.
In a statement to
An-Nahar
Daily, Mikati said that “he prefers not to respond to any of the accusations
that were launched against him, because he sees that what is essential now is
to resolve the situation in Tripoli,” expressing his relief regarding the new
measures .
In this context, the
newspaper reported that the aim of the meeting held by the Higher Defense
Council yesterday was to review the LAF’s plan, and to boost it with the help
of the security forces.
Accordingly, sources told
the daily that President Michel Sleiman informed the council that he will
be conducting several calls with Tripoli’s official figures, including the
deputies who have an essential and influential role in the work of rival
groups on the field.
For his part, Interior and Municipalities Minister Marwan
Charbel stressed that the Defense Council has taken its measures in Tripoli,
noting that the army is expected to implement these measures during the coming
days.
Charbel told
Al-Mustaqbal
Daily that the military operations underway in the northern city must end
immediately, pointing that the army will be deploying across Jabal Mohsen and
Bab al-Tebbaneh.
However, the Arab Democratic Party political relations official Refaat Eid stressed that the army is deployed on all the hot
spots in Jabal Mohsen and is expected to deploy on Monday morning in Bab
al-Tebbaneh.
Eid told
As-Safir
daily, that they do not have any problem with the army, noting that the armed
forces were already deployed in the area but they reinforced their positioning.
He stressed that his party will be offering all the possible facilities for the
success of the truce.
Sources told
Al-Joumhouria Newspaper
that the Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri is firmly insisting on approving the
funding of the pay scale as soon as possible, since he has succeeded in
convincing the syndicates committees to accept payment installments, given that
the government is unable to pay the cost of the scale in any other way.
In this context, sources told
As-Safir Daily that a meeting was held between the Lebanese PM Najib Mikati and
Ministers Ali Hassan Khalil, Nicolas Nahas and Marwan Kheireddine, whereby they
discussed the issue of the pay scale funding.
According to the sources, Mikati attempted to contact Minister Ghazy Aridi in order to finalize a number of pending
issues, but the latter did not respond.
As-Safir Daily reported that the Director General of the
General Security Gen. Abbas Ibrahim visited Damascus on Saturday, upon the
request of the Lebanese President and PM, and met with Maj. Gen. Ali Mamlouk whereby
they discussed the available data regarding the death of a number of Tripoli
citizens in Talkalakh. During the meeting, both sides agreed on a mechanism to transport
the bodies of the victims.
It was reported that 13 men were killed, including 8 who
have not yet been identified, with one man detained.
- Kostanian, Kataeb party’s candidate in Beirut
The Kataeb Party is seeking to have an Armenian deputy in
Beirut.
In this context,
Al-Akhbar Daily reported that Albert
Kostanian, who was appointed by the party as general coordinator for the
parliamentary elections, is more likely to be the Kataeb candidate for the Armenian
seat in Beirut.