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
As-Safir
daily learned from well-informed sources in The Hague that the Defense Office
for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon has appointed eight defense lawyers to defend
the four accused in the 2005 Hariri assassination.
According to
the daily, these lawyers are expected to attend the session to be held on
November 11, during which the procedures and mechanisms of the trial in
absentia will be discussed. STL Prosecutor General Daniel Bellemare, or his
representative, will also state his legal opinion during the session as will
the lawyers.
The STL is
expected to issue a statement on Wednesday to reveal the identity of the
appointed lawyers.
Acharq-Alawsat
quoted March 14 Secretary General Fares Souaid on Wednesday as saying that
“Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah insinuated through his recent speech that
the events in the Arab World are in line with his position and wants to portray
the weakness as strength. However, he is aware that his popularity and that of
his party has collapsed in all Arab states, especially in Syria.”
Souaid
confirmed that “Nasrallah’s statements on the STL are contradictory since he
insisted on Mikati’s cabinet survival; however, he declared that he rejects the
STL funding.”
Souaid added
that “The ball is now in PM Najib Mikati’s court; the decision of whether to
spill the blood of martyrs in vain since 2004 rests with him”, adding that “the
tribunal is a moral, humanitarian and legal matter before being political; therefore, Mikati cannot ignore all these facts and the grief of the martyr’s
family and evade the funding."
Iranian
Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salihi denied on Wednesday that he has discussed
with Saudi officials the issue of the assassination attempt of the Saudi
Ambassador to Washington Adel A. Al-Jubeir, adding that his visit to Riyadh
aims at extending condolences for the death of
Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdel Aziz.
Acharq
Alwsat daily quoted Salihi as saying that he accuses “the western demons”, in
reference to the U.S. and certain western countries, of sowing conflicts
between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Salihi voiced
confidence that “Iran and the KSA are capable of overcoming this issue soon.”
Al-Liwaa
daily quoted Future bloc MP Mohammad Hajjar on Wednesday as saying that
“Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah’s rejection to fund the STL deals a blow to
the Lebanese and their interests, putting Lebanon on a collision course with
the international community.”
Hajjar added
that “what the cabinet has done is routine and far from being considered an
achievement”, confirming that Nasrallah is wrong in doubting the possibility of
sanctions on Lebanon should the cabinet fail to fund the STL.
Hajjar ruled
out that the prime minister will succeed in rounding the edges, adding that
“the other party will not provide the appropriate atmosphere which will allow
Mikati to find the best equation for the STL funding issue.”
An-Nahar daily quoted Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday as
saying that he will bring up the issue of resuming dialogue with President
Michel Sleiman.
Berri confirmed to An-Nahar that PM Najib Mikati, MP Michel
Aoun, Hezbollah and MP Walid Jumblatt each endorse the dialogue, adding that
“there is nothing wrong in raising the issue with former PM Fouad Seniora and
other opposition members.”
Berri praised the prime mister saying “Mikati enjoys all the
specifications required to be a prime minster; he has the makings of an
official and statesman and knows how to round the edges.”
As-Safir daily also quoted Berri Wednesday as saying that
“the speech delivered by Hezbollah’s Leader Hassan Nasrallah was rational and
based on a reasonable interpretation.”
An-Nahar reported that starting today, Berri’s contacts will
not be limited to the STL issue, and will include other issues as well.
High-ranking sources in the opposition said that, “the
cabinet is headed for resignation if it does not find a solution to funding
issue soon.”