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.

Al-Liwaa

Washington extends grace period for Mikati … Ban Ki-moon urges him [to secure] funding for STL

As Washington extended the grace period for Prime Minister Najib Mikati – despite the panic generated by U.S. warnings to Lebanese banks against cooperating with Syrian banks or providing liquidity in foreign currency – the spiritual Muslim-Christian summit attempted to mend the national rift as a result of the political split between the March 8 and March 14 coalitions.

While the spiritual summit shied away from discussing controversial issues such as funding for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reminded Mikati of Lebanon’s commitments relating to funding of the court. Mikati responded positively, reiterating President Michel Sleiman’s pledge that Lebanon respected international resolutions, including those relating to the STL.

Al-Mustaqbal

Jumblatt regarding his ‘policy shift’: What would you do if you had a gun pointed at your head?

Aoun urges ‘Mikati brothers’ to fund STL out of their own pockets

Between the "dilemma" the government of Lebanon is facing with the international community – whether in terms of financing the STL or in terms of the impact on Lebanon as a result of sanctions on the Syrian regime – the domestic arena was in a wait-and-see mode.

Nor did the spiritual summit held at Dar al-Fatwa contribute to resolving the complexities surrounding the government.

Meanwhile, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt broke his silence about policy shifts, asking: "What would you do if a gun was pointed at your head?"

MP Michel Aoun, for his part, urged Prime Minister Najib Mikati and his brother, Taha, to finance the STL out of their own pockets.

"Mikati’s fortune is estimated at about $5 billion. Let him and his brother [secure] funding for it [STL]. He can afford to pay the court $35 million,” Aoun said.

As-Safir

Mikati from New York: I will visit Syria … and pay the court

Patriarch’s concerns highlighted at spiritual summit

Amid the political split that has scattered Lebanese into groups, the spiritual summit took place just before Prime Minister Najib Mikati presided over a meeting of the U.N. Security Council in New York, seeking to gain the confidence of the international community, particularly toward funding for the STL.

During the session Mikati stressed that failure to finance the U.N.-backed court would hurt Lebanon and benefit Israel.

Amid these ongoing challenges, spiritual leaders met at Dar al-Fatwa Tuesday. The closing statement was carefully worded to reflect the understanding of mutual concerns.

Besides the strategic significance of the spiritual summit, one can say that the timing of the meeting came to stand in solidarity with Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai and the Grand Mufti, Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani, in the face of the campaigns against them over remarks they have individually issued.

Meanwhile, in a briefing with U.N.-based reporters, Mikati said that Lebanon’s share of funding for the STL “will be discussed in the coming weeks."

“We are headed toward extending the STL work in March and we have to prepare our dossier for submission to the Security Council. But in any case, Lebanon cannot go against the international will," he added.

An-Nahar

Dar al-Fatwa summit highlights ‘essential’ Christian role

Mufti Qabbani, Siniora meet to clear up dispute

The Muslim-Christian spiritual summit at Dar al-Fatwa Tuesday was significant since it highlighted the importance of Christians in Lebanon and the region.

Mufti Qabbani told An-Nahar that participants at the summit agreed to hold similar meetings and these would rotate between the headquarters of the various sects in Lebanon. He did not say when the next meeting would take place.

Meanwhile, An-Nahar has learned that Qabbani met with former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora after efforts by a mutual friend succeeded in securing the meeting. The two men discussed the general situation in Lebanon.

Sources told An-Nahar that the meeting helped clear up a dispute between Qabbani and Siniora as well as dispel misunderstandings that had surfaced during the previous phase between the two figures.