Press Digest for Sunday June 02, 2013

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.

• MP Aswad: Change and Reform bloc’s appeal will be presented next week  

Change and Reform Bloc MP Ziad Aswad said that the appeal before the Constitutional Council regarding the extension of the parliament’s mandate will be presented next week, adding that the responsibility of this extension does not only fall on politicians, but also on citizens.                        

MP Aswad told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that some standards regarding the political life in Lebanon haven’t been adopted since years and mentioned that “garnering the majority of votes in regards to extending the parliament’s mandate does not make it a constitutional process”.                             

• Salam reiterates support to a national unity cabinet                  

Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam said that there is no justification for delaying the formation of the cabinet, adding that this delay will lead to a void similar to the one that would have happened at the parliament.                       

Salam told Al-Hayat newspaper that political factions who were able to reach an agreement regarding the extension of the parliament’s mandate are capable of reaching common grounds regarding the formation of the cabinet.          

In this regard, Tammam reiterated his support to a national unity cabinet capable of dealing with the current economic, social, and security files.                        

• MP Salam discusses with President Sleiman formation of new cabinet                            

Al-Mustaqbal newspaper said on Sunday that Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam discussed with Lebanese President Michel Sleiman the roadmap of consultations that he will be holding as of Monday with political factions.                                

In this regard, sources close to MP Salam said that these consultations will intensify following the appeal regarding the extension of the parliament’s mandate, stressing that MP Salam is adherent to his constants and will not refrain from forming the cabinet.              

• Nasrallah meets with Mikati, encourages him to launch his initiative

Sources said on Sunday that the Secretary General of Hezbollah Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah met 3 weeks ago with Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
         
The sources told al-Hayat newspaper that the meeting between the 2 officials was behind Mikati's initiative which demands from President Michel Sleiman to call for national dialogue sessions.