Following are summaries of some of the main stories in a selection of Lebanese newspapers Wednesday. The Daily Star cannot vouch for the accuracy of these reports.
An-Nahar
Cabinet meeting postponed after deal to swap funding with Aoun demands
“Concerns" over the fate of the government no longer existed Tuesday following a decision to postpone a Cabinet meeting set for Wednesday with pledges to find a solution to both the thorny issue of funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and to demands put forward by the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, Michel Aoun.
But the assurance of the government's fate was met with concerns over stability in the south and, consequently, in Lebanon, with the return of the phenomenon of firing "anonymous rockets" from Lebanon into northern Israel for the first time in two years and the return of Israeli artillery shelling of Lebanese towns, amid fears by Western diplomatic sources that the incident is likely a spillover from the unrest in Syria into Lebanon.
With regards to the postponement of Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, An-Nahar has learned from prominent sources that Prime Minister Najib Mikati felt a “softening” in Aoun’s positions on the STL funding. However Aoun’s demands are still stuck, despite an additional item being added to the Cabinet agenda late Tuesday, when Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas, who is affiliated with Aoun, presented a wage amendment and social benefits plan.
Aoun sources believed this “simple” solution was only the beginning, and not sufficient enough.
In order to avoid a boycott of Wednesday’s meeting by Aoun ministers, the session had to be postponed to give political leaders a chance to find a solution in the coming hours.
In any case, sources did not rule out the possibility of government’s resignation by Dec. 7.
Al-Mustaqbal
Ongoing ministerial split over [STL] funding as fate of Wednesday’s meeting remains unknown
Government ‘distances itself’ from rockets [fired from south Lebanon]
In line with the government policy of "distancing oneself," the incident [the firing of rockets from south Lebanon into northern Israel] – which threatened to plunge the country into the unknown –the Cabinet and its ministers did not discuss the rocket attack which was claimed by the so-called Abdullah Azzam Brigades.
In any case, from the Grand Serail to Ain al-Tineh and then over the telephone with Baabda presidential palace, Mikati listened to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri's initiative, which "acknowledges [STL] funding and reserves Hezbollah’s rights to modify the tribunal’s protocol, and guarantees the reopening of the false witnesses’ file as soon as possible," according to what informed sources told Al-Mustaqbal.
Al-Mustaqbal has also learned that ministers from Aoun’s Change and Reform bloc have stressed during private meetings that they will boycott Wednesday’s Cabinet session.
But things have changed the past few hours, as boycott magically turned into an open dialogue. This was confirmed by Aoun, who expressed his willingness "to cooperate to find a solution to the tribunal provided this won’t result in a split in Lebanon."
"Human rights require that we reject the tribunal, but despite this, Lebanese are split and don’t want a conflict. We want dialogue to find the best solution," Aoun added.
As-Safir
Aoun boycotts today’s Cabinet meeting ... does not reject "ransom"
Berri optimistic ... Mikati cautious ... Jumblatt fears [political] vacuum
Contacts were active in different directions Tuesday in order to come out with a "formula solution" to the STL crisis which has threatened the fate of the government.
But it turned out late last night that several hurdles were still facing the government.
If the funding issue has reached a settlement, the other half of the problem, however, relating to the demands of Aoun is still incomplete.
This will lead ministers from Aoun’s Change and Reform bloc to boycott Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, a source in the Free Patriotic Movement told As-Safir Tuesday evening.
"There is a positive start in dealing with our proposals, but not enough to participate in the meeting," the source said.
He stressed that Aoun’s ministers will only attend Cabinet meetings upon being given a clear vision.
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