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.
The leader of Kataeb party Amine
Gemayel stressed that the Orthodox gathering’s draft law grants everyone its
right, through a free vote which allows each faction of the Lebanese people to
elect its representatives in the Parliament.
Gemayel told
An-Nahar Daily
that the only condition for achieving real national unity is to have actual
partnership inside the parliament, calling on all those who are criticizing his
position to present a draft law which can obtain majority of the votes.
On the other hand, Gemayel
noted that his party is holding continuous talks and discussions with all other
parties, pointing out that there is a possibility to return to the laws which
were already presented, such as the law of 50 electoral districts and the
hybrid law.
However, he added that the Kataeb
party acknowledges the fact that there is an imbalance affecting the Christians
and it must be resolved.
Sources from the dinner
banquet organized by former MP Nayla Mouawad told
al-Hayat Daily that President
Michel Sleiman said that “he respects the head of Change and Reform bloc MP
Michel Aoun and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea”, noting that his positions
were not limited to the electoral draft laws which were presented.
“When I realized that the
country was heading towards repulsion between certain parties, mainly between
Sunnis and Shiites, I took stances which helped in preventing the matters from
getting worse,” Sleiman was quoted as saying.
“This is why we, the
Christians, have an important role in acting as a bridge between disputing
parties,” he added.
- Jumblatt: Sleiman’s draft law is
the main item during discussions
The head of Progressive Socialist Party MP Walid Jumblatt
stressed, in an interview with
an-Nahar daily, that cooperation is underway with the Future Movement in order
to find an electoral draft law which can reach consensus, noting that the main
project which is being discussed is the one presented by President Michel
Sleiman.
On the other hand, the daily reported that Sleiman
reiterated his refusal of the Orthodox gathering’s draft law during the banquet
organized by former MP Nayla Mouawad, stressing the need to hold the elections
on time.
- Hezbollah may have plan to
storm Assir’s headquarters in Sidon
Al-Seyassah al-Kuwaitia
newspaper quoted political sources from Sidon as saying that they fear the fact
that Hezbollah may implement a serious plan to storm the strongholds of
Sheikh Ahamd Assir and his supporters in Abra, Eastern Sidon, in order for the
party to rule over the city and the roads leading to the South, after it has deployed
a group of armed men around the Bilal Bin Rabah Mosque.
According to information
made available to the daily, Hezbollah’s plan is to carry out a “surprise
attack” in the surrounding area of Bilal Bin Rabah Mosque, from the eastern,
southern and northern sides, provided that the western side remains clear for the
withdrawal of the attackers.
- Kerry’s tour will not include Lebanon
Al-Mustaqbal Daily reported that the US Secretary of State John Kerry kicked
off a tour that will include a number of European and Middle Eastern states, in his
first tour since he has been appointed as Secretary of State.
The newspaper added that, according to western diplomatic sources, Kerry’s
tour will not include Lebanon, under the pretext of lack of time, and lack of
"an actual reason to visit" the country, stressing that “not visiting Lebanon,
does not mean that the US administration has a negative position towards the
Lebanese authorities.”
Al-Mustaqbal daily noted that "the most important US request to the Lebanese
is to keep on preserving stability, as long as the Syrian situation remains in
its present form.”
In this context, well-informed sources pointed out that the main issue on
Kerry’s agenda during his tour is the Syrian crisis, where the US
administrations seeks to achieve a breakthrough in the current deadlock, amid
the absence of widespread and open solutions.