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.
Lebanese Forces
leader Samir Geagea stressed that he supports the formation of a
technocratic, neutral government that will supervise the upcoming
parliamentary elections in a bid to prevent Lebanon further
deterioration and to facilitate the task of the Prime Minister-Designate
Tammam Salam.
In this context, Geagea told
an-Nahar Daily that he
cannot confirm whether it is possible to form a new government, noting
that Salam is holding talks with some Lebanese parties in this regard.
“In
light of the current situation, all parties should discuss the
formation of the government and I call on Salam to take clear and
well-devised decisions unlike some former heads of government."
Imam
of Bilal bin Rabah mosque Sheikh Ahmad Assir dubbed his call for
Jihad in Syria as "normal in light of Hezbollah's dominance of the country",
adding that “the government's decisions are now in the hands of the group” in violation of the policy of dissociation in regards to the
Syrian crisis.
Assir told the Kuwait-based
Al-Seyassah Daily that
he can no longer sit idly by as his "brothers" in the town of Qussair and
elsewhere "cry out for help", especially when “a Lebanese party
openly declares that it is fighting alongside the regime forces”.
As
for founding the 'Free Resistance Brigades', Sheikh Assir said: "As the
number of applicants for Jihad in Syria exceed 300 jihadists, a need
for establishing the 'Free Resistance Brigades' was bound", noting that
those who have joined the aforementioned brigades are now estimated at
thousands.
Sources
close to the Free Patriotic Movement stressed that "the doors of
dialogue will remain open with the Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam
in regards to conflicting issues", especially in matters pertaining to
the rotation of governmental portfolios.
The same sources told
as-Safir Newspaper that further consultations have been agreed upon during
Salam's meeting with Caretaker Minister of Energy and Water Gebran
Bassil in a bid to facilitate the task of the PM-Designate.
Well-informed
sources also reported that Salam will be joining Former Minister Youssef
Saade whom the Marada Party Leader MP Sleiman Frangieh delegated,
adding that he will be meeting a Tachnak delegation during the two upcoming days.
Sources
told
al-Joumhouria Newspaper that the Future bloc leader Fouad Siniora,
following deliberations held with Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri,
hoped that President Michel Sleiman would hold Thursday a cabinet session
in order to look into the incidents taking place on the Lebanese-Syrian
borders, and this in order to call on all parties to abide by the policy of dissociation
and the Baabda Declaration.
- Bassil: Salam is a new chance for the country
Caretaker
Minister of Energy and Water Gebran Bassil stressed that "his meeting
with the Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam was positive", pointing
out that "they have tackled for the first time the formation of a
new government".
In this regard, Bassil told
Al-Hayat Daily that
there are fundamental principles such as the formation of ‘a national
unity government’ that represents all the Lebanese parties, noting that
Salam is adamant on representing all parties.
"We consider Salam as
an opportunity for the country and we hold onto him, we will facilitate
his mission and we hope that his efforts will pay off", Bassil added.