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.
An-Nahar daily
learned Wednesday that Cypriot ambassador to Lebanon Homer Mavrommatis was the
one who took the initiative to hold a meeting with Head of the Transport,
Energy and Water Committee MP Mohammad Qabbani on October 19 to be briefed on
the content of the Joint Parliamentary Committees’ meeting that was held two
days earlier (October 17).
During the Joint Parliamentary Committees’
meeting, the issuance of the implementing decrees of the oil law before the end
of the year was approved, provided that Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour
will head to Cyprus to engage in negotiations.
The sources
confirmed to the daily that the Cypriot ambassador seemed keen on following up
on the demarcation of the maritime border, as he was briefed on all press
updates in this regard.
In his turn,
Qabbani disclosed the committees’ decisions and underlined the adherence of
Speaker Nabih Berri and the parliament to the “real maritime borders that
preserve Lebanon’s rights”. Qabbani also insisted on Lebanon’s right to receive
authorization to drill oil within Lebanon’s exclusive economic zone.
The sources
added that, five days later (October 24), the Cypriot ambassador held another
meeting with Qabbani in a bid to clearly determine their countries’ positions
on the matter, noting that these two meetings have paved the way for official
negotiations between both countries.
The Cypriot side underlined the importance
that Lebanon signs on the 2007 agreement inked between both countries, provided
that the modification of borders will be negotiated afterwards.
The sources
added that Qabbani countered the Cypriot statement, armed with Berri and the
cabinet’s positions on the matter as well as the agreement texts and the
Lebanese-Cypriot negotiations, which led to the Lebanese conviction that
borders should be adjusted before signing the agreement.
An-Nahar
daily quoted Energy Minister Gibran Bassil on Wednesday as saying that he saw
positive signs in President Michel Sleiman’s position on making the cabinet and
parliament closed and separate systems so that no MP can run for any ministerial
position, adding that “this is a very important reform clause that the Change
and Reform bloc have always endorsed. This clause is now approved by the
cabinet and should be followed up on by Sleiman since it is related to the
constitutional amendment.”
An-Nahar daily
quoted Bassil as saying that he welcomed PM Najib Mikati’s support for the
nationality withdrawal from those who obtained it fraudulently, adding that “the
nationality withdrawal will soon include another batch of people whose names
are listed in the Shura Council’s appeal.”
Hezbollah representative at LAU Mohammad Berjawi accused the guards of former PM Saad Hariri’s castle in Koraitem of inciting Tuesday's clash, adding that the pro-Hariri students and supporters went to the street across from the university entrance, to celebrate the birthday of Late PM Rafik Hariri. The official added that 30 members of Koraitem guards later joined the celebration and a van with loudspeakers started to transmit anti-Hezbollah and anti-Syrian slogans.
In a statement to An-Nahar, Berjawi slammed the position of the Dean of Student Affairs Raed Mohsen who, according to him, received a complaint about the hassle but confirmed that the administration is not responsible for any off-campus movement.
In his turn, Future Movement representative at LAU Mohammad Malla confirmed to An-Nahar that “some March 8 supporters were wounded in the clash while none of the March 14 supporters was injured.”
The Arab
Ministerial Committee meeting, to be held on Wednesday in Cairo, constitutes an
interval phase in light of the positive atmosphere that prevailed over
Damascus, Doha, Beirut and Algeria in the last hours.
Diplomatic
sources told
As-Safir that the Arab plan was modified in a way that reconciles
between Damascus remarks on the initiative and its original content. The final
agreement reached between Syria and the Arab League Committee will be
officially announced today.
As-Safir
daily learned that Damascus approval of the Arab initiative is based upon
Syria’s faith in the Arab League’s keenness on the country’s stability and on
its belief that the Arab League’s role should be stimulated to avoid any
foreign intervention. The daily added that Syria’s approval is the fruit of the
positive atmosphere that prevailed on Doha’s meeting, especially the Syrian
meeting with Qatar.
As-Safir
quoted reliable sources as saying that “the severe crisis that marked the
Syrian-Qatari relations will be soon ended”, adding that the Syrian Leadership
is mulling releasing a huge number of detainees on the occasion of Eid al-Adha,
as the tradition implies. However, the release will only include those detained
on political backgrounds while those who were imprisoned for attacking the
Syrian forces will not be exempted.
Al-Akhbar
daily reported on Wednesday that former PM Fouad Siniora visited the Mufti of
the Republic Sheikh Mohamad Rashid Qabbani few days ago to discuss the issue of
amending the rules of procedures of the Supreme Legal Council.
It was
reported that, during the meeting, Qabbani slammed the Future Movement’s
political stances.