ANSD : Lebanon: Cabinet breakthrough could come by end of week

FRI 26 - 4 - 2024

Date: Jun 22, 2018
Source: The Daily Star

Lebanon: Cabinet breakthrough could come by end of week

_{Ghinwa Obeid| The Daily Star}
BEIRUT: A breakthrough in the government formation deadlock could be imminent as Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri is expected to present President Michel Aoun with a proposed lineup by the end of the week, sources close to Speaker Nabih Berri said Thursday night. But the sources told The Daily Star that this doesn’t mean that the government formation dilemma has been fully resolved.

The sources said Hariri informed the speaker of the news in a telephone call. “He assured [Berri] that he was going to visit Aoun within the next 48 hours to discuss the Cabinet lineup with him,” the sources said, adding that this would include portfolio assignments. “Hariri informed Berri that he is in the process of forming a government by the end of the week,” they said.

Speaking to visitors, Berri said he didn’t know of any internal obstacles preventing Cabinet’s formation.

“I am ready,” he said when asked when he would intervene to overcome any hurdles.

Earlier in the day, Hariri denied he was taking his time and said discussions with political parties on the matter were set to end within days.

His comments came in response to remarks made by Berri to local daily Al-Akhbar criticizing Hariri for delays in the formation of Cabinet.

“I am entitled to a vacation. I went to see my family and now we ‘engaged the turbo’ to form a government as soon as possible,” Hariri told reporters after attending a lunch hosted by former MP Mohammad Qabbani at Zaitunay Bay. “And we will certainly gather everyone. It is my duty to do so and I am optimistic. Within days we can accomplish all these things.”

Hariri returned to Beirut Wednesday night from Paris after visits to Moscow and Riyadh, where he spent the Eid al-Fitr holiday with his family.He was tasked by Aoun last month to form a new government.

Hariri has presented the president with a preliminary proposal to form a 30-member Cabinet representing all the main political parties, but it didn’t go into specific names or portfolios.

Hariri said there were no external complications obstructing the government formation; rather, the problems were internal. Nevertheless, he said those obstacles could be resolved. He also downplayed rumors that Saudi Arabia had no interest in a government at the moment.

Berri told Al-Akhbar that he insisted Cabinet be formed before Eid al-Fitr, but claimed no one listened to him, creating further concern regarding Lebanon’s current financial and economic difficulties.

He said he would only wait until the beginning of July to call for a session for Parliament to elect members of its committees.

“There are 17 committees that are on hold,” Berri said. “We left their formation until after the term of the new Parliament has begun [in the hopes] of a quick formation of a government to know who the MPs that were going to become ministers were, in order to avoid adding them to the committees. But it seems that they are not in a hurry to form a government.”

The speaker said the prime minister-designate should know he doesn’t have unlimited time to get the job done.

“We can’t force a certain period on the premier-designate,” Berri said.

“But in return, we [can’t] remain silent. We should practice the maximum political pressure.”

Prolonged negotiations over the Cabinet have been common in Lebanon’s recent history. In 2009, it took Hariri 135 days to form a Cabinet, while it took him just 45 days in 2016.

Hariri responded to Berri, saying he wasn’t aware of why things should be done hastily.

“First, I was designated three weeks ago, and second, there was the holy month of Ramadan and then Eid,” he said.

“We are consulting with all the political parties.”

Hariri added the different political parties have many demands but that they will be toned down later on.

“We are conducting negotiations and everyone will be satisfied,” he said.

“We talk to everyone and when I have a proposal, I will go to the president, and that may be tomorrow.”

In an attempt for a breakthrough in resolving the issue with the Lebanese Forces, Hariri later in the day met with LF caretaker Information Minister Melhem Riachi. The LF has been requesting key ministerial posts as well as the position of deputy prime minister.

He also met with caretaker Finance Minister Ali Hasan Khalil in the presence of Hariri adviser and caretaker Culture Minister Ghattas Khoury, Marada Movement leader Sleiman Frangieh and Progressive Socialist Party MP Wael Abu Faour.

Nevertheless, in its weekly meeting the LF’s parliamentary “Strong Republic” bloc refused to blame delays in government formation on Hariri.

“The bloc renews support for Hariri’s efforts to form a government and calls for differentiation between the need to form a government in order to face economic and day-to-day challenges on one hand, and the attempts of some to place the responsibility for the delay on Hariri and pressure him,” former MP Fadi Karam said, reading out the bloc’s statement.

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