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.
According to
As-Safir daily, Speaker Nabih Berri told the head of the Future Movement parliamentary bloc Former PM Fouad Seniora during a closed door meeting that the Future Movement is one of the eminent political parties in Lebanon and should participate in the national dialogue.
Sources told the newspaper that Berri addressed a formal invitation for the Future Party to participate in the dialogue, but will wait for Seniora to discuss the invitation with the Party leadership before the final answer.
The newspaper added that Berri praised the efforts of the parliament and its decision during its general meeting on Wednesday, adding that most of the pending issue and draft laws were passed.
According to
An-Nahar newspaper the Egyptian ambassador to Lebanon Mohammed Mustapha Toufic said that the Egyptian political relations with its entourage are based on a constant set of values. Toufic added that the success of the Arab initiative for Syria is a must to impose stability in the region and preserve Syria’s interests.
“We will evaluate the success of the initiative, we call on the Syrian authorities and the opposition to restore security and stability and it is important to point out that Syria is not Libya”, the newspaper quoted the ambassador as saying.
The Egyptian ambassador expressed to the Lebanese officials his country’s concerns about the political tensions in the country, stressing the importance of imposing the rule of law and democracy.
“We [Egypt] maintain strong ties with all political parties, and we are in contact with everyone, even Hezbollah”, Toufic told An-Nahar. The Egyptian ambassador revealed a series of meetings between the Egyptian and the Lebanese Ministers of Economy and Trade to foster economic relation between both countries.
Sources told
Al-Liwaa newspaper that PM Najib Mikati is desperately looking for a possible judicial outcome to fund the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, adding that several options are being discussed, especially the one presented by the previous minister of Finance Rayya al-Hassan which was approved by the ministers of Hezbollah and Amal movement.
Al-Hassan previously proposed that the government, after an agreement between the President and both Finance and Justice Ministers, will give a loan to the Ministry of Finance to fund the tribunal or open bank accounts to receive Arab and foreign donations.
According to
Al-Hayat newspaper the General Prosecutor for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) Daniel Bellemare is in a state of deteriorated health that is keeping him away from the media and even his close friends, and he has decided to stay in Canada alone.
The STL representative Martin Youssef told the newspaper that the STL is still working on the Hariri case despite Bellemare’s health conditions, adding that according to the Tribunal policy the General Prosecutor and his team are appointed by the Head of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon for a 3 years mandate, pointing out that Bellemare’s term will end in February 2012.
Sources told the newspaper that the UN and Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs at the United Nations started a serious discussion to find a successor for Bellemare as his health condition is worrying.
According to al-
Joumhouria newspaper, Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Nawaf Al-Moussawi said that the agreement between Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement in 2006 clearly discussed the issue of the Lebanese refugees in Israel, adding that the Parliament passed a law that will strengthen the relations between both parties.
The newspaper reported that this event came to confirm the solid relations between the FPM and Hezbollah, ruling out all rumors about tensions in their relations lately.
Al-Joumhouria added that the Lebanese are currently living the effect of the agreement and its reflection on internal cohesion between Muslims and Christians based on civil obedience, solving the issue of the Lebanese refugees and punishing all collaborators.