Press Digest for Friday March 29, 2013

         
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.  

• Deliberations to name a new Premier will kick off soon         

Sources reported that the President Michel Sleiman telephoned Speaker Nabih Berri to fix a date in order to hold deliberations for the nomination of a new Premier.            

It is worth noting that the negotiations will be held on three levels: a dialogue between the National Struggle Front leader Walid Jumblatt and March 8 coalition, a dialogue between MP Jumblatt and the Future bloc, as well as a dialogue between March 8 coalition and Change and Reform bloc.          

Sources also told An-Nahar Daily that the outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati cannot be nominated again should the new government be tasked with supervising the upcoming parliamentary elections.           

• Speaker Berri: The 1960’s law “has been buried”           

Speaker Nabih Berri stressed that the identity of the Premier is still unknown, and said: “if the new government will supervise the elections, the PM shall have specific qualifications whereas if the Lebanese parties fail to agree on an electoral law to hold the elections, I therefore recommend a ‘rescue’ government”.        

In this context, Berri told al-Joumhouria Newspaper that the 1960’s electoral law “has been buried” since the Elections Supervisory Committee, stipulated in Article 11 thereof, is not formed, and pointed out that the aforementioned Committee should be formed two months before the parliamentary elections.         

Speaker Berri added that the elections may be held on their due date if the Lebanese parties agree on an electoral law within the next two weeks.            

• Future bloc: “MP Siniora fails to manage numerous files”         

Al-Akhbar Daily reported that the Future bloc voiced its resentment after the Future bloc leader Fouad Siniora failed to manage numerous files, mainly the file pertaining to March 14 coalition and the parliamentary elections.          

Sources close to the Future bloc reported that many coordinators and high-ranking officials are questioning the role of MP Siniora and his relation with the Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri.            

• MP Fatfat: Speaker Berri to extend the mandate of Gen. Ashraf Rifi         

Deputy Ahmad Fatfat told Asharq al-Awsat Daily that the Speaker Nabih Berri said in a meeting with March 14 coalition that he will extend the mandate of Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF) Major General Ashraf Rifi, and added that the meeting had a positive impact.            

On another note, MP Fatfat stressed that March 14 coalition is adamant on forming a new government that honors the policy of dissociation, noting that ‘the other coalition’ aims at a ‘political’ government, which will cause further spillover of the Syrian crisis into Lebanon.