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 will be heading on Wednesday to Turkey along
with Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, Minister of Public Work Ghazi Aridi,
Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas, and General Security Major General
Abbas Ibrahim.
In this context, Mikati is expected to
meet with his Turkish counterpart PM Recep Tayyip
Erdogan as well as other Turkish officials.
Sources told
al-Joumhouria that during their meeting, the Prime
Ministers will discuss bilateral relations in addition to repercussions of the
Syrian crisis on both Lebanon and Turkey.
Head of the National Struggle Front MP Walid
Jumblatt said that his meeting with Former PM Saad Hariri was explicit and
honest and added that they agreed on various points, but some other ideas need
more negotiations.
Concerning the Orthodox Gathering electoral
law, Jumblatt said that they agreed that "this electoral draft violates notions of national coexistence".
As for his upcoming electoral alliances,
Jumblatt told
As-Safir that this issue will be discussed in due time and
mentioned that his main concern at this stage is national dialogue.
As for the Syrian situation and whether
Hariri agrees on the cabinet's policy of dissociation, Jumblatt considered that distancing Lebanon aims at protecting internal reconciliation, "but some other parties
are doing the opposite".
Lebanese Forces MP Georges Adwan told
As-Safir newspaper that the LF reject the establishment of a senate before
holding parliamentary elections on the basis of a law that represents all factions.
MP Adwan reproached the Future Movement
since it did not go along with its allies on the issue of improving the
representation and addressed the Bloc by saying "improving the
Christian representation is our priority".
- Speaker Berri expresses astonishment
regarding the Future's bloc boycott of the joint committee
Speaker Nabih Berri told
Al-Joumhouria newspaper that the
meeting of the parliamentary subcommittee on Tuesday was positive and added
that the meeting of the joint committee will be held today regardless to those
who do not attend the meeting.
Berri added that he met with the independent Christian
deputies who assured that they will be attending today's session.
The Speaker expressed his astonishment seemingly since the Future
Bloc will be boycotting the meeting of the joint committee and added that the
bloc is communicating with the cabinet for specific purposes.
An-Nahar newspaper said on Wednesday that Former
PM Saad Hariri will discuss on Thursday during
Kalam Ennas an integrated
initiative pertaining to the electoral law.
In this context,
An-Nahar quoted political sources as saying that this
initiative will be accepted by the Lebanese President Michel Sleiman, Speaker
Nabih Berri and MP Walid Jumblatt and added that the initiative includes the
formation of a senate of 99 members as well as a draft law pertaining to the administrative decentralization
as stipulated in the Taif Agreement.