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.
LF MP Georges Adwan said that the Lebanese Forces do not want to skip stages in
regards to the electoral draft they presented and added that all parties agreed
on the idea of a hybrid law, and the importance of appropriate representation
for the Lebanese Christian community.
MP Adwan told
An-Nahar newspaper that he is cooperating with the Kataeb Deputy
Sami Gemayel and added that he is expected to discuss with other parties the
division of the electoral districts that the Kataeb followed in their draft
law.
Adwan said that holding the elections on due time is related to the country's
stability and mentioned that postponing them will link Lebanon to the Syrian
crisis.
"A new electoral draft must be agreed upon before next Sunday or else
Speaker Nabih Berri will call for voting on the Orthodox Gathering electoral
draft," MP Adwan said.
An-Nahar newspaper said on Tuesday that the electoral proposal presented by the
National Struggle Front MP Akram Chehayyeb is 64% based on the majoritarian
system and 36% on the law of proportionality.
An-Nahar added that this electoral proposal was rejected by more than one
deputy at the parliamentary subcommittee since it does not take into account
the 5 criteria of the subcommittee especially in regards to the Christian
representation at the parliament and the balance between March8 and March14.
Al-Akhbar newspaper quoted on Tuesday the Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara
Boutros Rai as saying that his visit to Syria was positive and everyone
followed it with interest and importance.
Cardinal Rai pointed out that it is important for Christians, mainly Maronites,
to know that there are Christians in countries other than Lebanon and Syria.
As-Safir newspaper said on Tuesday that the file of the Lebanese detainees in
Syria's Aazaz took back to the forefront when the Head of the Syrian National Coalition
Moaz alKhatib called for releasing the detained women at the Syrian prisons in
exchange for dialogue with the regime forces.
As-Safir said that releasing the 9 Lebanese detainees is an integral part of a
comprehensive deal that calls for releasing more than two thousand detainees
from the Syrian opposition.
The newspaper added that Qatari and Turkish officials discussed this issue and
added that they will be adopting the same mechanism of negotiations and
exchange as they did between the Iranians and the Syrian opposition.
According to
As-Safir, Turkish and Qatari officials will negotiate with the
kidnappers; whereas, the Lebanese authority will transfer the demands of the
Syrian opposition to the Syrian regime.
It was announced though that a problem faced this mechanism seemingly since
there is a lack of communication between President Michel Sleiman and PM Najib
Mikati from one side and between the Syrian authorities from the other side.
It has been reported that both President Sleiman and PM Mikati tasked the
Director General of the General Security Major General Abbas Ibrahim with
holding contacts in hopes of releasing the detainees in Aazaz.
In this context, Major General Ibrahim is expected to hold talks with the
Syrian authorities and the Lebanese government will set the arrangements to
receive the detainees.
This as, Lebanese official sources refused to deny or confirm this information
and told
As-Safir that serious contacts were held in the past few hours and
there is a positive atmosphere in regards to releasing the detainees.
The sources also refused to deny or confirm the fact that Qatari officials paid
the Syrian opposition in order to release some of the detainees in Aazaz.
- Minister Charbel calls for postponing civil marriage discussions
Interior Minister Marwan charbel said that he recently heard of the decision of
the Supreme Commission for consultancy at the Ministry of Justice in regards to
the legislation of the civil marriage on the Lebanese territories and added
that he will study this decision as soon as he receives it.
Minister Charbel told
As-Safir newspaper that he supports the issue of civil
marriage, but it should be legislated at parliament.
In this context, Minister Charbel called for postponing the civil marriage
discussions in light of the sharp political division in the country.