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.
- Adwan: Holding the elections
on due time ensures stability
MP Georges Adwan said that
the Lebanese Forces are exerting efforts to hold the General Authority’s
session in order to prevent extending the mandate of the parliament and put the
1960’s electoral law aside.
Adwan told
An-Nahar
newspaper that the LF want to distance Lebanon from the Syrian crisis and
pointed out that holding the elections on their constitutional due time ensures
stability.
- Presidential sources:
Nothing new in regards to the electoral law
Presidential sources said
that there isn’t 'anything new' pertaining to the elections despite the ongoing consultation’s
held by the representative of President Michel Sleiman, Former Minister Khalil
al-Hrawi.
Sources told
Al-Mustaqbal
newspaper that President Sleiman discussed on Friday during his meeting with
Prime Minister Najib Mikati the open ended strike held by the Union
Coordinating Committee in regards to the series of ranks and salaries.
Al-Mustaqbal newspaper said
on Monday that a meeting was held in the past hours between representatives of
the Future Bloc and others of the Progressive Socialist Party.
In this context, the
newspaper said that electoral discussions were positive and mentioned that the two parties discussed the hybrid law which is based on the majoritarian system
and the law of proportionality.
According to the newspaper
the Future Bloc contacted its allies prior to the meeting, and is expected to
contact them again to brief them on the results of the meeting with the PSP.
Kataeb Party MP Sami Gemayel
said that “there is no intention to hold the elections” and added that parties
should agree on postponing them for 2 or 3 months in order to agree on an
electoral law.
In this context, MP Gemayel told
An-Nahar newspaper that postponing the elections situates the country in political
void and stressed that it is important for the Kataeb party to hold the
elections on their constitutional date.
MP Gemayel added that "the
latest electoral proposals were not far from consensus” and reiterated his
party’s rejection to the 1960’s electoral law.
Al-Liwaa newspaper said that
the file of series of ranks and salaries will be one of the most prominent
topics during a televised interview on Saturday with Prime Minister Najib
Mikati.
The newspaper added that PM
Mikati will explain the reasons behind delaying the referral of the pay scale
to the parliament and will also clarify its repercussions on the regional and
economic situation.
Al-Liwaa added that PM
Mikati will assure that the pay scale will be referred to the parliament after
the 21st of March pointing out that the cabinet’s efforts are being
exerted in order to preserve and maintain the financial situation.
- Ambassador Eichhorst: The EU
is concerned with the Syrian situation
The EU Ambassador to Lebanon, Angelina Eichhorst told
Al-Joumhouria newspaper that
it is not important to know who is helping the Syrian people, but what matters the most
is the Syrian people's interest adding that the EU is cooperating with
the International Community to find a solution for this crisis.
“We not only express our concern and condemn the situation,
but we also meet with people and listen to their problems. We previously
visited the prisons as part of following up on the Syrian situation, but media
outlets did not shed light on this issue,” Eichhorst
said.