Following are summaries of some of the main stories in a selection of Lebanese newspapers Monday. The Daily Star cannot vouch for the accuracy of these reports.

Al-Liwaa: Jumblatt-Khalils dinner: Priority to prevent government collapse
Aoun threatens to turn the table: Bassil’s [electricity] plan or crisis

While Hezbollah acts as if difficulties over the [controversial] electricity plan were nearing an end, the Aouni movement [Free Patriotic Movement headed by Michel Aoun] has stepped up its rhetoric and intimidation prior to the technical-ministerial meeting Monday afternoon to decide on ways to finance Energy Minister Jibran Bassil’s plan or postpone the deal until a Cabinet meeting scheduled for Sept. 7.
The latest of these threats came from the Aouni movement which insisted on dealing with the electricity reform plan as a fully integrated issue, rejecting partitioning of the project.

The threat came during a dinner meeting at the residence of Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, head of Lebanon’s General Security. The gathering was attended by Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt, Public Works and Transportation Minister Ghazi Aridi, Health Minister Ali Hussein Khalil (representing the Amal Movement) and the political aide of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, Hajj Hussein Khalil, as well as Hezbollah’s Wafik Safa.

Sources said the attendees discussed both the electricity issue and ways to finance the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), adding however that no agreement had been reached as Jumblatt insisted on his position that the government cannot evade its responsibility to fund the tribunal and that the electricity issue was technical, not political.

Jumblatt pointed out that an agreement had already been reached on a technical-financial approach with the participation of Hezbollah Cabinet ministers, adding that Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi had suggested making use of some Arab funds because they may give Lebanon low-interest loans.

Meanwhile, a source close to Aoun said the FPM leader was not optimistic. He said the FPM was studying various options, including calls to popular street protests prior to or following the Cabinet meeting, with the involvement of FPM lawmakers and Cabinet ministers. The officials have been instructed that no issue would be discussed in Cabinet’s meeting before the approval of the electricity plan and that if Bassil found out that procrastination has prevailed, FPM ministers would withdraw from the meeting as a first step.

Hezbollah has been informed of this intention, prompting quick action to avoid reaching a deadlock during the Sept. 7 meet, according to ministerial sources.
A leading FPM source said Aoun has not yet received any serious offer regarding the electricity issue, adding that he still sticks to his position.
A ministerial source expected Cabinet to give itself an extra week if an agreement was not reached during the Sept. 7 meeting.

As-Safir: What is the story of Iran’s project and its relationship with Bassil?
Electricity [to be provided] as soon as possible and the best deal ‘a gift from Wilayat al-Faqih’

A year ago, Nasrallah appeared on television to introduce his own vision for the Lebanese to solve the electricity issue. That day, Nasrallah surprised everyone with a proposal he described as “ambitious.” He called on the Lebanese government, headed by Prime Minister Saad Hariri at the time, to seriously study and discuss a plan to build a peaceful nuclear reactor to generate electricity in Lebanon.

Nasrallah spoke about Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, which he said would provide a large part of Iran's energy needs at a cost far less than what has been spent on the electricity sector in Lebanon in the past few years. But Nasrallah’s television appearance was not taken into account after Lebanon “formally entered the oil and gas exploration off the coast of Lebanon.”

The approach, however, seemed somewhat “surreal” to Nasrallah and it was not seriously discussed at the table involving those concerned with reform of this old [electricity] sector.
But Iran’s project to “save Lebanon from its chronic darkness” was met by rejectionists and a direct political decision by Hariri as some people believe a disaster could take place if Iran contributes to the long-corrupted electricity sector.

Jumblatt described as “excellent” the meeting at Abbas Ibrahim’s residence.
“I reiterated to the representatives of Amal and Hezbollah that there is no political motive behind our position,” Jumblatt told As-Safir, voicing optimism.

Al-Jouhmouria: Berri: Government will not resign

Speaker Nabih Berri said there must be a settlement to the electricity issue, adding that he presented Mikati with a solution to the problem which calls for amending the electricity bill put forward by Bassil.
Berri said there was no fear of government resignations.
"The dispute over the electricity issue was technical at first and then turned political,” Berri told Al-Joumhouria.
Berri, however, ruled out a Cabinet resignation over the electricity issue, stressing that this government “is a government for work.”
He also stressed the need for the government to “address the oil, electricity and appointment issues that are not controversial.”