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.
Speaker Nabih
Berri met on Thursday with the head of the parliamentary sub-committee MP
Robert Ghanem as well as MPs Akram Chehayeb and Georges Adwan, stressing that
he is exerting efforts in order to resume the meetings of the Parliamentary
Communications Committee.
In this context,
Berri said that he will hold further bilateral meetings, during the upcoming
days, with the representatives of the political parties, highlighting the need
to adopt a consensual electoral law before the cabinet session to be held on
May 15.
Speaker Berri
told
Al-Joumhouria Daily that he stresses the need to resort to dialogue,
calling on all the Lebanese parties to hold consultations in a bid to broker an
electoral law.
On another
note, Berri reiterated that the consultations held between the Prime
Minister-Designate Tammam Salam and the political forces “have a positive
impact”, especially the consultations held with Caretaker Minister of Energy
Gebran Bassil, contrary to all rumors.
Caretaker Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou
Faour told
As-Safir Newspaper that the number of the displaced Syrians has
reached over 1 million refugees being distributed across the Lebanese territories,
stressing that “the Ministry lacks all financial means to help the refugees”.
In this regard, Abou Faour held a meeting
with President Michel Sleiman and Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam whereby
he suggested holding a special session in the Security Council in regards to
the displaced Syrians, adding that camps for the refugees can be established
should the parties, which rejected the idea, have second thoughts.
President
Michel Sleiman highlighted the need to form a government that supervises the
upcoming parliamentary elections and underscored the rotation of governmental
portfolios, noting that the elections should be held on their
constitutional due date.
Sleiman told
Al
Mustaqbal Daily that he is optimistic over the cabinet’s formation, pointing
out that he is awaiting the PM-Designate Salam to fulfill his duties in this
regard.
“I refuse all
attempts to hurdle the devolution of power. Should the parliament’s mandate be
extended, I will stand against it,” Sleiman added.
Kataeb bloc
MP Elie Marouni said that “the Lebanese people have struggled to withdraw the
Syrian troops from Lebanon”, hoping that the people will draw lessons as “the
upcoming days will be dangerous” and accordingly, everyone should safeguard Lebanon’s
national unity and sovereignty.
Marouni told
Al-Joumhouria
Newspaper that “the ‘agents’ of the Syrian regime are still paving the way for its
comeback”, noting that the Syrian presence in Lebanon that lasted over 30 years
“may have further dire repercussions”.
“Any new
regime in Syria will not have a stronger impact on us than the regimes of
Syrian President Bachar Assad and his late father President Hafez al-Assad,” MP
Marouni added.