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
An-Nahar daily, sources close to former PM Fouad Siniora commented on the
statements put forth by Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah over the funding of
the STL.
The sources
said that the Tribunal is not a financial or technical matter, stressing that
“it is not important to provide the money; rather that the Lebanese state
commits to a national issue that is linked to national security and U.N.
resolutions, and to stand against crime, terrorism and the criminals who
assassinated late PM Rafik Hariri and his companions.”
As-Safir
daily reported on Saturday that the cabinet will resume on Wednesday discussion
of the remaining headlines linked to the electoral law, Lebanese citizenship
and the Constitutional Council.
The cabinet finally
approved on Friday a draft law separating parliament and the cabinet so that MPs cannot
occupy ministerial positions with the exception of the premiership.
Addressing
the FPM who outright objects the exception of the prime minster, Mikati
confirmed that there will be “no return to the pre-Taif era in regards to the
prime minister’s prerogatives,” adding that “not a single modification will be
applied to the Taif clauses related to the prime minister and his
prerogatives.”
An-Nahar
daily quoted Kataeb Leader Amine Gemayel on Saturday as saying that “it is
important to let the Syrians decide for themselves and what would be best for
their future.”
“What
matters for my party is the establishment of a democratic system that ensures
the rights of all the components of the diverse Syrian society,” he added.
Gemayel
warned that, “if violence in Syria extends to Lebanon, everyone will pay
dearly,” decrying “the export of violence and arms to Syria.”
Gemayel said
that “Iran will deploy all its efforts to preserve the incumbent regime in
Syria”, adding, however, that Tehran and Hezbollah are prepared for all
possibilities among which is “the collapse of their ally, the Syrian regime.”
Commenting
on his recent visit to Turkey, Gemayel said “the Turkish people do not shout
slogans in the air; they rather bring them into effect.”
Arab foreign
ministers will resume on Saturday afternoon their open extraordinary session in
Cairo to address the Syrian crisis.
Al-Hayat
daily quoted sources close to the Arab League as saying that Nabil el-Araby
will present a comprehensive report to the ministers.
The report will outline his contacts with the
Syrian opposition, his deliberations with the government and the letters he
received from Syrian Foreign Minister Wallid al-Muallem and Syria's permanent
representative to the Arab League on the implementation of the Arab action
plan.
Al-Mustaqbal
daily quoted Environment Minister Nazem al-Khoury on Saturday as confirming
that “putting the issue of funding the STL to vote in the cabinet might lead to
the funding approval or not. However, this will not solve the issue; even if it
is referred to parliament it will be subjected to the same standards applied by
the cabinet.”
Nazem told
the daily that “the solution for this issue lies in amending the agreement
signed with the U.N. Security Council over the STL and its work, thereby
reassuring those who have reservations on its work.”
“This way, Lebanon
will be able to overcome its current crisis and commit to its international
obligations at the same time.”
As for the
Syrian-Lebanese issue, Nazem said “Syrian opposition members should not be
handed over to Syrian authorities simply because they are against the regime;
the handover can only take place in line with the provisions of laws and
agreements signed between both countries.”