Press Digest for Monday April 01, 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.

• Former Minister Shatah says submitting candidatures on the 1960’s law is being discussed               

Former Minister Mohammad Shatah said that consultations with allies in regards to submitting candidature applications on the basis of the 1960’s electoral law are still underway.                           

As for the issue of the cabinet, Minister Shatah told Acharq al Awsat newspaper that the formation of a neutral government has been agreed upon, but the name of the Prime Minister along with Ministers are still being discussed.                             

• Political factions discuss the formation of a new cabinet                           

Political sources told Al-Hayat newspaper that discussions are continuous in regards to the formation of the cabinet and naming the new prime minister.         

In this context, the sources said that some factions mentioned that MP Walid Jumblatt supports caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. MP Jumblatt is holding various contacts in this regard and the latest was manifested by caretaker minister Wael Abou Faour’s visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to meet with officials along with the possibility of meeting with Former PM Saad Hariri.            

The sources expressed their astonishment seemingly since some March8 forces are saying that they did not reach a decision pertaining to the cabinet pointing out that March8 are waiting for the Future Bloc’s stance following consultations held between Former PM Hariri and head of the Future Bloc Fouad Siniora.                            

As for Hezbollah, the sources said that the latter is still discussing the aforementioned issue with Speaker Nabih Berri and Head of the Change and Reform Bloc MP Michel Aoun.                 

• MP Jumblatt takes his time before taking decisions related to the cabinet

          
Prominent parliamentary sources said that the Head of the National Struggle Front MP Walid Jumblatt is taking time before making a final decision in regards to the formation of a new cabinet.                 

In this context, sources told Al-Hayat newspaper that the meeting which was held between Caretaker Minister Ghazi Aridi and and Hezbollah official Hajj Wafik Safa came in the framework of communication and did not result with a common stance in regards to the cabinet.              

• Hariri holds talks with Siniora, discusses cabinet issue                      

Sources told Al-Hayat newspaper that the meetings held between Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Head of the Future Bloc Fouad Siniora in the presence of various officials were only in the framework of consultations.         

The sources added to the newspaper that Former PM Hariri insisted on not mentioning any names related to the formation of the new cabinet and stressed that meetings were an occasion to share points of view before consulting members from the Kataeb Party, the Lebanese Forces and independent Christian deputies in March14.            

The sources also said that Hariri will be holding another round of consultations that aim at exerting pressures in order to hold the elections on their constitutional due date.