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.
- Harb: Orthodox electoral law
will have severe repercussions on Lebanon
MP Boutros Harb said that
the Orthodox Gathering’s draft law was discussed, not voted upon during the
parliamentary joint committees’ meeting on Monday, noting that the
repercussions of this electoral law will be severe on the country in general
and on the Christians in particular.
“It is true that it does
ensure greater number of Christian deputies, but it also contributes to their
isolation at the same time, as if every Christian party lives alone on its
own island, leading to the division of Lebanon into statelets and affecting
coexistence,” Harb told
al-Joumhouria Daily.
However, he added that some parties are discussing the draft law as a “political substance” which will
serve their interests, stressing on the other hand that discussions are ongoing
in an attempt to find an alternative proposal which will ensure fair
representation and preserve Lebanon's unity and coexistence.
In this context, Harb
pointed out that Speaker Nabih Berri “is not ready to start the vote on any
project if it does not reach consensus”.
Al-Akhbar Daily reported
that the Secretary General of
the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Abdul
Latif Al-Zayani
informed the Lebanese Chargé d’affaires in Riyadh Munir Anouti that the Gulf
States will halt the reception of Lebanese citizens, in case the Lebanese
government does not take a clear stance over the statements launched by the head of
Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun regarding the popular uprising in Bahrain.
Similarly, Kuwait informed
the Lebanese embassy of its complaint concerning Aoun’s statement, but away
from the media
- Hezbollah proposes a 3-year-extension for Parliament
Sources told
al-Joumhouria
Newspaper that negotiations are being conducted to extend the mandate of the
Parliament for one or three years, as March 8 forces, mainly Hezbollah are
suggesting the extension for three years.
In this context, the sources
told the daily that the "state friends of Lebanon", which are getting ready to
take action in order to hold the elections on time, will not exert exceptional
pressure if they realize that holding the elections will threaten Lebanon’s
stability. These states have been warning against any political void, since the
assassination of late head of Information Branch Brig. Gen. Wissam Hassan.
The head of the Lebanese Democratic
Party Emir Talal Erslan declared that Syrian President Bashar Assad expressed
the relief of the Syrian leadership towards the course of the political affairs
and the developments on the ground, adding that the Syrian Army has succeeded in
resolving the situation in many Syrian regions.
Erslan told
As-Safir daily
that Assad stressed that “there is no way to solve the Syrian crisis through
dialogue”, pointing out that the political process is witnessing real progress.
In this context, Erslan
informed Assad that the Druze support the unity of Syria and defend the Druze
community in Syria which constitutes an important part of the country.
Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud
said that the statements of the head of Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun
regarding Bahrain represent his personal opinion, not an official position of the bloc.
Abboud told
Acharq al-Awsat
that “in Lebanon we are used to the freedom of opinion,” adding that what has
been said about “a collective punishment against the supporters of Aoun” must be related to the Declaration of Human Rights. He stressed that the Gulf States in
general, and Bahrain in particular respect human rights and will not take such
steps against Lebanese people.
However, Abboud accused a
number of Lebanese groups of carrying out incitements against Aoun and his supporters,
pointing out that he has no information regarding the possibility of any
contact between Aoun and gulf authorities following his recent statements.