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.
Concerned
officers commented via
Al-Akhbar Daily on the expression Major General Achraf
Rifi quoted former Prime Minister Saad Hariri as saying. The latter reportedly
said “the status quo requires that you
stay in charge and that your term be extended for at least one year or two until
someone is ready to take your place.”
The officers considered that such a
statement means that Hariri wants officers to graduate from the Kraytem palace
and not from the Lebanese military academy and to raise the blue flag instead of the
Lebanese flag “in order to have equal job opportunities in state institutions.”
According to
Al-Akhbar, these officers consider that Hariri wants Rifi to stay in office until the acting
head of the ISF Information Division Imad Othman is promoted to the rank of
Major General and appointed as director general of the Division.
High-level political sources from March 8
told
Al-Akhbar Daily on Wednesday that the extension of the term of director
general of the ISF Major General Ashraf Rifi will not be ratified.
The sources ruled out the possibility that March 14 leaders would give up on their decision to boycott sessions to extend the term of Rifi, or that this project would
be the price of the ratification of a new electoral law.
Al-Joumhouria Daily quoted American sources
as saying that the initiative of Syrian Vice-President Farouk al-Charaa is in
line with the stances announced recently by Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed
Hassan Nasrallah and the Commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari. The sources considered that the
implementation of plan “B” on the ground has seriously begun, adding “as you all know, plan B means the creation of an Alawite statelet.”
The sources considered that the latest
Russian-American research tackled the options which can be adopted to put an end
to violence in Syria. However, Russians and Americans agreed that until this
moment, there was no possibility to provide a platform which would be suitable
for any solution on the ground.
A diplomatic source told
Al-Liwaa Daily on
Wednesday that the former spokesperson for the Syrian Foreign Ministry Jihad
al-Makdissi is most likely still in Beirut, waiting for the completion of arrangements
related to his fate both on the personal and career levels. This as Syrian
Deputy Foreign Minister Faysal Mokdad announced that al-Makdissi is on a
three-month leave and “has not been laid off from his job at the Syrian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
The well-informed source stressed that
al-Makdissi may have sought refuge at the British embassy in Beirut in
preparation for his application for political asylum in the U.K. “This proves
that he is already under British protection.”
A current minister from the Bekaa told
Al-Akhbar Daily on
Wednesday that some of the country’s most prominent figures have suggested that
parliamentary elections be held according to the 1960s electoral law “provided
that those who acquired the Lebanese nationality after 1992 be banned from
voting or running for candidacy.”
The minister considered that this suggestion is “a prelude
to persuade those who are objecting that elections be held according to the
1960s law.” He explained that the implementation of this idea would pave the way for a
real competition in the following electoral districts: Zahle, West Bekaa –
Rachaya, Metn and Akkar.