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.
Prime Minister Najib Mikati said that the
Orthodox gathering electoral law increases the division between the Lebanese
and threatens the balance stipulated in the Taif Agreement.
Mikati expressed to
As-safir newspaper his
support to MP Walid Jumblatt whereby he called for an electoral law that well
represents all Lebanese sects and asked for
moving toward the establishment of a Senate that represents various Lebanese
components.
Mikati also
praised the stance of the Lebanese President Michel Sleiman regarding the Orthodox Gathering electoral law.
French
President Francois Hallande is expected to hold meetings with various Lebanese politicians
before the end of January and among them the Head of the National Struggle
Front MP Walid Jumblatt.
In this
Context, MP Jumblatt said to
As-Safir newspaper that the meeting will be held
in the coming days and mentioned that other meetings are expected to be held
between the French president and the Head of the Kataeb Party Amine Gemayel as
well as the Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Beshara Boutros Rai.
Sources close
to the Free Patriotic Movement said that the Head of the Change and Reform Bloc MP
Michel Aoun will express on Tuesday his support for the Orthodox Gathering
electoral draft and will not offer any alternative draft law.
The sources
added to
An-Nahar newspaper that MP Aoun considers that he who rejects this
electoral draft should present an alternative since the FPM agreed on it with the
Kataeb Party, the Lebanese Forces and the Marada and it is supported by
Hezbollah and the Amal Movement.
- Berri exerting
efforts to hold elections on due time
An-Nahar
newspaper quoted on Tuesday Speaker Nabih Berri as saying that the political
atmosphere warns of holding the parliamentary elections on due time.
In this
context, Berri said to
An-Nahar newspaper that he is exerting efforts in
order to reach stability and expressed his refusal to postpone the elections.
He also mentioned that the law of proportionality
is the root of developing the political system and the democratic life in Lebanon
and called for combining both the law of proportionality and
another proposal in order to reach an electoral law that serves all Lebanese factions.
Security
members at the Turkish airport are reportedly performing racist acts against Lebanese
Christian groups coming from Medugorje.
In this context,
Jacinthe Francis said to
An-Nahar newspaper that on her way back from Medugorje
the plane landed at the Turkish airport and added that security forces asked
her to hand over the small statues of the Virgin Mary since religious symbol
are not allowed on the plane.
Francis added security
forces confiscated
crosses that were in the possession
of other passengers.
To read more
about this incident, please click on this
link.