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

An-Nahar

The army’s deployment precedes tensions in Tripoli and the border

Mikati asks France to support Lebanon’s “disassociation policy”

Chaos in Tripoli between Jabal Mohsen and Bab Al-Tabbaneh overshadowed domestic developments – even Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s visit to Paris and his meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy despite the importance of this meeting in terms of breaking the ice between Paris and its visitor.

Conflicts in Tripoli sparked fears over the possibility of further escalation, particularly given that the army’s intervention to end the fighting between the two areas Friday did not result in anything tangible. Instead, the clashes continued while army personnel were present.

The clashes, which followed mid-day prayers in which rocket-propelled grenades were used amid the intensification of an armed presence in the neighborhood, resulted in the wounding of three people.

The army intervened and dispatched personnel around the area and urged the groups to disarm.

It appears the army’s deployment in the north was perhaps in anticipation of the clashes in Tripoli.

Al-Mustaqbal

Assad’s shabbiha causes tense atmosphere ... Wadi Khaled residents welcome the army

A Syrian protest in Paris: Mikati colluding with Assad

It seems that the Syrian regime decided to use Tripoli as a place to send messages both to the inside and outside after tensions gradually rose between the areas of Jabal Mohsen and Bab Al-Tabbaneh.

Shabbiha were present and fired Inerga-type rockets toward Bab Tabbaneh. They then turned to sniping amid serious fears that tensions would escalate further due to a decision by Syria to rupture the security situation in Tripoli as a prelude to exporting its crisis to Lebanon.

Around 150 people protested Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s visit to Paris. They accused him “of supporting President Bashar Assad’s regime.”

Various organizations, including the “For a Free Syria” group, had asked people to demonstrate. They held signs and particularly a picture of Syrian President Bashar Assad and Mikati that said: “Support means involvement in the crime.”

Police were able to keep the protesters, who chanted “Bashar is a criminal, Mikati is a collaborator,” and “Bashar is a criminal and Putin is colluding,” away from the Elyse Palace.

Hassam Alawi, head of “For a Free Syria,” told Agence France Presse that “we wanted to take a stand after Mikati took a clear position in support of the Syrian regime.”

Ad-Diyar

France praised Lebanon’s disassociation during Sarkozy-Mikati meet

There were no developments regarding the government crisis over civil-service appointments in which Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas’ refused to sign a Cabinet decree governing transportation fees. All government work is suspended pending the return of Prime Minister Najib Mikati from France.

In case efforts don’t begin to resolve the matter, the Cabinet will face increasing pressure even inside the Parliament as Speaker Nabih Berri is expected to call for a parliament session at the end of the month.

Meanwhile, President Nicolas Sarkozy affirmed the historical relationship between Lebanon and France and praised the efforts by Prime Minister Najib Mikati to preserve stability in Lebanon. He also said he understood Lebanon’s position of disassociate itself from what is happening in the Arab region given Lebanon’s sensitivities and its historical relationship with Arab countries.

As-Safir

Tensions increase in the north

Sarkozy-Mikati: Lebanon's disassociation comes first

The Cabinet crisis of civil-service appointment has escalated further with talk by President Michel Sleiman about the resignation of Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas.

Al-Jadeed TV quoted Sleiman as saying: "There are measures that will be taken against Nahhas if he remains adamant on his position [of not signing the Cabinet decree governing the transportation allowance."

"Either he is dismissed via a two-third vote in Cabinet or his post is changed according to the law.”

In turn, Nahhas declined to comment.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Najib Mikati visited France in his first official visit as prime minister as security fears escalated due to clashes between Tripoli's Bab Al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen while the army took measures in the north to present security breaches.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy received Mikati in the Elyse Palace for 45 minutes.

As-Safir's correspondent in France said that Paris would not risk Lebanon's stability by involving it in an offensive strategy against Syria's regime under through the "Friends of Syria" group.