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

Asharq

Clinton to Mikati: When will promises be put into action?

Asharq has learned from high-ranking diplomatic sources in New York that the meeting between Prime Minister Najib Mikati and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton took place in an atmosphere of honesty and directness.

The diplomatic sources quoted Clinton as telling Mikati: “We always hear you talking about quite a good number of promises in many areas, particularly with regards to Lebanon’s international obligations … This is very good and is being welcomed on our side. But do you think it is time to put these promises into action?”

Al-Liwaa

Dar al-Fatwa summit Tuesday: national principles end tension

What happened between Mikati and Clinton in 18 minutes?

Rai cancels Washington meetings … Nahhas believes no funding for STL

A meeting at Dar al-Fatwa before midday Tuesday is a significant development both at the spiritual and national level.

It is a meeting where fundamental principles are agreed upon by the Lebanese. It is also a meeting that provides solid ground for the stability that the Lebanese are looking for amid the extremely complicated situation surrounding Lebanon, whether in terms of the Arab Spring or the attempts to deprive the state of Palestine of international recognition at the U.N. Security Council.

Dar al-Fatwa issued a statement saying the Islamic-Christian spiritual summit will take place at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the presence of Lebanon’s religious leaders.

A former government offical told Al-Liwaa that the spiritual summit comes in light of attempts by some political figures to establish bilateral alliances for electoral- or politically-related interests that are likely to take the country back 10 years.

Meanwhile, diplomatic officials who attended talks between Clinton and Mikati said the meeting lasted only 18 minutes, and that Clinton spoke firmly about the need for Lebanon to commit to its international obligations.

Remarks made by Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas regarding funding for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon came in contrast to those made by Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi, who has said the Cabinet will tackle the STL funding during its upcoming meeting.

Nahhas said he does not believe that Lebanon will pay its share of STL funding.

In a surprising statement, the Maronite Patriarchate announced that Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai has cancelled a scheduled visit to Washington as part of his Oct. 4-24 U.S. trip.

As-Safir

Washington warns of money transfers via Lebanese banks as Moscow [voices] readiness to support [Lebanese] Army

Clinton welcomes Mikati, stresses hostility between Lebanon and Syria

As Patriarch Rai wrapped up his three-day visit to south Lebanon Monday, Prime Minister Najib Mikati managed to thwart local and external attempts to impose international isolation on his government by meeting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

What was significant is that the Americans gave Mikati – the day after his arrival to the United States – something that was not available during the weeklong stay in New York of President Michel Sleiman, whose agenda did not include meetings with any U.S. official.

Sleiman was also the only Arab head of state who did not attend the reception held by U.S. President Barack Obama, even though he had been officially invited, raising a number of questions among the delegations that took part in the 66th U.N. session.

While Hillary Clinton sweet-talked Mikati about the government, hailing its "righteous priorities" as well as Lebanon’s "intelligent" position at the U.N. Security Council and the government’s “good choice” to request military assistance for the Lebanese Army, she also used poisonous words that were clearly incitement against Syria, Iran and Hezbollah. Clinton also attempted to lure Lebanon out of the camp that supports the state of Palestine.

Mikati also met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov who expressed Moscow’s readiness to support the Lebanese Army and asked Mikati to provide Russia with details of the army’s needs.

An-Nahar

STL funding and caution from Syria between Mikati and Clinton

Washington excluded from Rai’s U.S. trip

The main Lebanon event was in the U.S. as Mikati prepares to preside over the U.N. Security Council meeting Tuesday following his meeting with Clinton. Assurances emerged from Lebanon and the U.S. that Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai’s U.S. trip won’t include Washington after the failure to set up a meeting with President Barack Obama.

An-Nahar’s correspondent in New York Ali Barada quoted U.S. sources as telling reporters that Clinton raised with Mikati the issue of Lebanon’s international obligations, particularly toward the STL.

He said that the talks "touched on bilateral relations between the two countries," and quoted Clinton as saying that "the U.S. is committed to Lebanon's sovereignty.”

Clinton also expressed her "understanding of the critical situation from which Lebanon suffers.”

Clinton, however, stressed to Mikati that Lebanon should be “cautious in dealing with the situation in Syria, and not allow Syria to impose disapproval of sanctions on Damascus [by the Security Council] as a denunciation of the acts of repression practiced by the regime against the Syrian people."