ROUND-UP of Major Lebanese Newspapers 6-11-2009

It seems that a game of musical chairs will bring about a consensus Lebanese government with the birth of its semi-finalized form, as Saudi Arabia and Syria intensify talks to ease the birth of the government. Besides, the Israeli piracy in the Mediterranean Sea continues and what is claimed to be an arm smuggling shipment has been released.
Al Akhbar

Titles

Hizbullah denies any relation to the shipment, "Israel" releases it
And finally...

Aoun agrees to Industry [portfolio]; will meet with Hariri to publicize the agreement.

News 

PM-designate Saad Hariri informed the opposition that he is still proposing conceding the opposition the ministries of Industry, Agriculture and Youth and Sports, whereby the opposition could choose who tops any of them. Furthermore, Hariri would have no objection if one of those ministries were too headed by someone from General Michel Aoun\'s bloc.

General Michel Aoun has agreed in principle to taking the ministries of Industry and Tourism alongside those of Telecommunications and Energy. He has also agreed in principle to having current Telecommunications Minister Gebran Bassil head the Ministry of Energy; however, he would get to choose the ministers of the other portfolios.

In a related development, It has been agreed upon that a meeting is to be held today between leaders of the opposition, beginning with talks between the Free Patriotic Movement and Hizbullah, with a subsequent meeting of opposition leaders to settle the dimensions of portfolios and ministerial appointments.

A Lebanese security source reported that Minister Bassil crossed the Syrian-Lebanese border yesterday accompanied by former Minister Michel Samaha. The source denied knowing where the two crossed.

A source in Damascus reported that Bassil visited the advisor to the Syrian President, Bouthaina Shaaban, and offered her condolences for her father\'s passing. The source refused to confirm the report that Bassil met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and both Bassil and Samaha refused to comment on the issue.

Speaker Nabih Berri pushed back the committee members elections until next Thursday due to a lack of quorum after only 46 MPs attended, among whom only four were from the majority.

Hizbullah Issued a statement denying any relation to the arm shipment which "Israel" claimed that it seized in the Mediterranean Sea carrying arms from Iran to Hizbullah via Syria.
On the other hand, the foreign ministers of Iran and Syria denied the "Israeli" allegations during a joint press conference held at the Iranian capital.

As-safir

Titles

Damascus and Riyadh protect the "second formation of the government"; Aoun expects the government to be formed by the end of the week

The semi-finalized form of the government: Telecommunications, Energy, Tourism and Industry to go to Change and Reform Bloc

News

As-Safir has learned that Syria and Saudi Arabia had increased their "Lebanese" talks over the last few days during which Syrian President Bashar al-Assad reportedly expressed his desire to Saudi King Abdullah that the Ministry of Energy be offered to General Michel Aoun.

Saudi leadership expressed their wish, after PM-designate Saad Hariri approved the oppositions demand for Telecommunications and Energy, to Syrian leadership that the latter would use its influence over its Lebanese allies.

Hussein Khalil, Hizbullah secretary general\'s political assistant, accompanied by Wafiq Safa, mediated on behalf of Michel Aoun as he made several proposals to Hariri by telephone.

Sources close to Aoun reported that he said yesterday that the government would be formed by the end of the week and that a new political page would be turned which will bring about a new chapter of national cooperation with his hand held open to Hariri.

Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah will reportedly share his general views on November 11, next Wednesday, for Martyr Day.

An-nahar

Titles

A stock market of offers during the governmental vacancy.

Berri says he might start a sit-in in parliament next week [if government has not been formed].
The Ministerial Statement symbolizes an anticipatory step between Aoun and the majority.
Netanyahu claims the smuggled arms shipment to be a "war crime" and its size to be sufficient for a month of fighting; Hizbullah denies any relation to it.

News 

Aoun, speaking on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Taif Accord, said that "if the clock went back 20 years, I would have done everything the same, and I do not regret anything that I have done."

An-Nahar has learned that ongoing efforts to form the government yesterday revolved around finding a new way out of the stalemate by re-offering the Ministry of the Displaced to Aoun in addition to Telecommunications, Energy and Tourism.

Speaker Nabih Berri said in front of MPs that if the government stalemate continues he will suggest three proposals: a request that the president call for a dialogue table, a call for parliament to hold a general meeting, and finally that he would personally resort to a sit-in in parliament until the government was formed.