Press Digest for Sunday January 13, 2013

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 reproaches governmental forces             

Al-Mustaqbal newspaper said that Former Minister Fouad Boutros met with the Lebanese President Michel Sleiman and expressed t him his rejection to the Orthodox gathering draft electoral law.               

In this context, Boutros said that President Sleiman reproached governmental forces who agreed on this draft law after submitting a different law to the parliament.       
            

• Sheikh Assir to renew his movements              

An-Nahar newspaper said on Sunday that the Sheikh of the Bilal bin Rabbah Mosque, Ahmad Assir decided to renew his movements and get back to the streets after a series of protests and demonstrations to support the Syrian people.            

Sources added to An-Nahar that Sheikh Asir will be holding a demonstration in Sidon this afternoon and added that roads will not be cut; demonstrators will only hold banners denouncing the Syrian regime.        
       

• LF and Kataeb on their position regarding electoral law                       

Sources close to the Lebanese Forces said to Al-Mustaqbal newspaper that the LF and Kataeb Party are with the Orthodox Gathering draft electoral law if other serious alternatives were not available.                    

Sources added that the LF is currently supporting the aforementioned law due to the fact that there is no alternative.                                

• Sleiman, Rai to hold meeting soon

           
Presidential sources said to Al-Mustaqbal newspaper that a meeting will be held between President Michel Sleiman and the Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai to discuss the electoral law.              

The sources added that Cardinal Rai pointed at the draft law presented by Former Minister Fouad Boutros or any other darft that ensures the representation of all Lebanese sects.     

• Mikati and Jumblatt reject the Orthodox Gathering electoral draft  

Sources close to leaders participating in the Bkerke meetings said that PM Najib Mikai and MP Walid Jumblatt will not agree on the Orthodox Gathering electoral draft which states that each sect elects its deputies.

Sources added to Asharq Alawsat Daily that this electoral law decreases the number of MP Jumblatt’s deputies and ousts Mikati within his sect.

The sources mentioned that either the elections should be performed on the basis of the 1960’s law or according the proposal of the Kataeb Party and LF which is 50-districts electoral law or MP Jumblatt’s Ministers should topple the current Cabinet so the Orthodox Gathering electoral law would not be agreed upon.

• Geagea dissatisfied with Bkerke’s statement

A source in the Lebanese Forces said that the LF chief is not satisfied with the statement of Bkerke.

The source said to Asharq Alawsat newspaper that every person who rejects the Orthodox Gathering draft law should present an alternative because lections may not be held on the basis of the 1960’s law.