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.
- Berri warns of announcing a
de facto cabinet before the General Authority session
House Speaker Nabih Berri
expressed his hope that the visit of the Progressive Socialist Party Leader MP
Walid Jumblatt to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would help put an end to “dramatic scenarios” in the
country.
In response to a question
pertaining to the formation of a de facto cabinet, Speaker Berri told
As-Safir
newspaper that, with respect to the constitution and protocol, he is
expected to visit the Baabda Palace whereby President Michel Sleiman along with
Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam inform him about the formation of the
cabinet.
“If the distribution of
portfolios were positive and appropriate, I’ll wish the Prime Minister good
luck, but if the distribution is negative and disappointing then I’ll give my
honest opinion and let the parliament bear its duties,” Berri added.
This as Berri warned of
announcing a de facto cabinet before the General Authority session which is
scheduled for the 15th of May, pointing out that “this matter will
have a negative impact on the atmosphere of the session”.
“If consensus is not
reached, deputies will have to vote for the Orthodox Gathering’s electoral
draft since it was the only electoral project agreed upon at the parliamentary
subcommittee’s sessions,” Berri concluded.
- Ferzli: Restoring sectarian
balance in Lebanon is a necessity
Former Deputy Speaker Elie
Ferzli said that proposing the Orthodox Gathering’s electoral draft serves at
building a country on the basis of national unity.
Ferzli told
Al-Liwaa
newspaper that following the 2009 parliamentary elections, he noticed that “the
old Lebanon had died and denominational entities arose in its place,” adding
that he is not with the concept of each sect voting for its candidates, but “restoring
the balance between sects is a must”.
On another note, Ferzli said that a national interest cabinet is based on partnership,
stressing that the only centrist deputy is the Head of the National Struggle
Front MP Walid Jumblatt.
Deputy Jamal Jarrah said that the Future Movement supports
the formation of a cabinet made up of members who do not belong to any
political party and capable of taking care of the people’s interests.
Jarrah added that the new cabinet should bear the
responsibility of holding the upcoming parliamentary elections, stressing that “proceeding
with the March 8 affiliated caretaker cabinet is impossible”.
Commenting on Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam’s intention
to form a de facto cabinet, Jarrah told
Al-Joumhouria newspaper that the Future
Movement will support any formation formula presented by the latter,
adding that “Hezbollah’s threats regarding the formation of such a cabinet
do not frighten anyone”.
- Hariri: Electoral laws
presented by March 8 forces violate the concept of coexistence
The Secretary General of the
Future Movement Ahmad Hariri said that “March 8 forces have been working for
years in order to undermine Lebanon’s democratic system; sometimes by the use
of illegal weapons and other times by attempts of enforcing new norms in the
country”
Hariri told
Al-Joumhouria
Daily that “these forces also presented electoral laws that violate the concept
of coexistence as well as the Taif agreement”.