Jumblatt in KSA, Mikati on Electricity Vessels: Devil in Details
The Lebanese week opens its doors on a major confidence the government succeeded to gain from the parliament.
In parallel, the level of the internal debate on electoral law increased.
This came as House Speaker Nabih Berri's proposal on proportionality parallel to establishing a Senate turned to a hot topic while part of the Lebanese interests focused on security incidents that breached the weekend calmness.
Berri Insists on Proportionality, Ready for Dialogue
"As-Safir" Lebanese newspaper reported Monday that Berri insists on his proposal even if it needed a constitutional interpretation.
Berri also revealed that consultations are to be launched in the coming days to pave the way for adopting the proposal.
In remarks to the daily, the House Speaker stressed that he is to move with his proposal on adopting proportionality with Lebanon as a single district followed immediately by the establishment of a Senate.
"I am not to be dissuaded from ["National Struggle Front Leader MP Walid] Jumblatt's position of rejecting my initial presentation," Berri stated.
Berri announced that "he is to conduct the necessary consultations to discuss the possibility of moving forward with this proposal, accompanied by a constitutional interpretation of Article 22, under the roof of national consensus."
"On the first level, I want to consult with the concerned parties about the ideas proposed because I want to know first whether there is a favorable environment, and a chance of success, before moving on to advanced steps," Berri confirmed.
According to "as-Safir", Berri is open to modify his initiative to meet others' concerns - on top of whom is Jumblatt - in the middle of the road.
In this context, the daily learned that both the Political aide to Berri Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, and the political aide to the Secretary-General of Hizbullah His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Hajj Hussein Khalil, will meet MP Walid Jumblatt next Thursday.
"The discussions will be centered on the electoral law to pave the way for Jumblatt's meeting with Berri," the paper added.
It further mentioned that "Berri is keen to preserve the basic essence of this initiative, given a margin of maneuver that might allow him to accept to give up an electoral law based on Lebanon as a single district to another one based on provinces."
"The House Speaker isn't to bargain on proportionality," "as-Safir" stressed.
Jumblatt in KSA, Suleiman: Proportionality on Top
For his part, MP Jumblatt headed Sunday towards Saudi Arabia to hold talks with the country's foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal and other officials but not the king.
"Al-Akhbar" daily quoted the majority's sources commenting on the visit.
"Jumblatt's visit is not good. However, it will not affect the governmental situation, especially since the NSF leader is satisfied with his position in the government and his major role in maintaining the current political balance," the sources said.
In parallel, Lebanese President Michel Suleiman urged all sides to exert all efforts to score a change in the general political spirit by producing a new modern electoral law.
In an interview with "as-Safir", Suleiman uncovered that he plans to hold talks with all parties and particularly Jumblatt in order to resolve all the objections and reservations on adopting an electoral law based on proportional representation.
"We must get rid of the bad 1960's electoral law, and we must agree on a new law that provides political pluralism, even within the sects," the President said.
On the government's confidence, the President clarified that "despite all disputes, the
majority wants the government to remain for several considerations."
"The vote of confidence stressed that there's no intention by anyone to topple the government ," Suleiman emphasized to "as-Safir".
Mansour: Expatriates Voting Mechanism Ready
Meanwhile, "al-Joumhoria" newspaper reported that the Council of Ministers is scheduled to convene Wednesday with a 62- item agenda, including the report of the Foreign Ministry on expatriate's vote in 2013 elections.
In this context, Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour uncovered Monday that the mechanism allowing Lebanese expatriates to vote in the upcoming 2013 elections has been drafted and referred to the government.
Mansour informed "as-Safir" that "the draft law includes an integrated, non-complicated mechanism that would enable the Lebanese expatriates to vote in the 2013 polls."
"Even if the participation was weak in the first time, it will establish for a wider and more enthusiastic participation in the next time," the minister viewed.
Mikati on Electricity: Devil in the Details
Similarly, Prime Minister Najib Mikati told "as-Safir" that Wednesday's ministerial session will discuss the participation of Lebanese expats in the coming elections.
He also welcomed the confidence vote his government gained as it forms an opportunity for the government to prove itself.
"I will exert all efforts to invest this opportunity to achieve the demands of the Lebanese people," he told the daily.
The PM also commented on the electricity generating ships file.
"A primary agreement has been set with the Turkish company "Karadeniz"," Mikati said, noting that "that there are several points to be discussed before signing the deal."
"The devil is in the details," he warned.
More Ogero "Israeli" Agents?
On the security level, "al-Akhbar" reported that the Lebanese Army Intelligence raided Saturday dawn the house of Kh. D. in Kafr Rumman Southern village on suspicion that he is an "Israeli" agent.
"The suspended man is an employee of the Ogero Establishment," the paper revealed, pointing out that "he is well known for his travels, especially to European countries."
Also in the South, five people were slightly wounded in a bomb explosion outside a restaurant in the southern city of Tyre.
Source said that the blast, which went off shortly after Sunday midnight, targeted "Nocean" Restaurant, located on the third floor of a three-story commercial building on the eastern outskirts of the city.
Source: Lebanese newspapers, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
