The following are a selection of stories from Lebanese newspapers that may be of interest to The Daily Star readers. The Daily Star cannot vouch for the accuracy of these reports.
Al-Akhbar
Geagea informs Hariri of readiness to step down as candidate
The Lebanese Forces seriously want to find a way out of the presidential crisis. LF leader Samir Geagea has informed former Prime Minister Saad Hariri that he is willing to step down as a candidate in favor of Kataeb Party leader Amine Gemayel or Minister Boutros Harb.
Meanwhile, March 14 sources told Al-Akhbar that March 14 leaders planned to discuss names of new candidates, who are close to Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai, after the constitutional deadline to elect a president has expired.
Ad-Diyar
March 8, March 14 Christians agree to boycott legislation
March 8 and March 14 Christians, under the patronage of Bkirki, have agreed to boycott legislative sessions in the wake of a presidential vacuum.
Among those boycotting the legislature are the Kataeb Party, the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah has rejected an offer from Bkirki to extend President Michel Sleiman’s term until a new head of state has been elected.
Hezbollah’s rejection was made during a recent meeting of the follow-up committee between Hezbollah and Bkirki.
Al-Mustaqbal
Iran is behind any March 8 decision to disrupt Cabinet
March 14 sources told Al-Mustaqbal that should any party from the March 8 coalition decide to “disrupt” the election, then it was Iran that was seeking disruption, pointing out that the four ministers from MP Michel Aoun’s bloc could not cause a disruption unless they were joined by Hezbollah and Amal ministers.
Al-Liwaa
Sleiman: I was embarrassed when I was elected president, but now I’m proud
President Michel Sleiman told Baabda Palace employees as he said goodbye Thursday that “I was embarrassed when I was elected president after May 7, 2008, but now I am proud that I’m leaving the presidency within the democratic norms.”
An-Nahar
Pay hike victim of presidential vacuum
The controversial salary raise draft law is going to be the foremost “victim" of a presidential vacuum, as talk began to surface that the government would take over the president’s powers, something that would affect the decision-making mechanism.
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