Salam Enters Grand Serail as Lebanon's New PM
Tammam Salam was welcomed on Monday by staff members after he arrived at the Grand Serail to begin his work as Lebanon's new prime minister.
Salam, who formed his 24-member all-embracing government after a ten month deadlock, was accompanied by Environment Minister Mohammed Mashnouq.
He was welcomed by cabinet secretary-general Suhail Bouji and senior government staff at the Grand Serail that lies in downtown Beirut.
Guards saluted him as Salam walked into the building to officially assume his post.
The first challenge for Salam's government is to agree on a policy statement, which in the past has faced controversies in national unity cabinets.
The cabinet will hold its first session at Baabda Palace on Tuesday to form the committee that would draft the statement.
10 years
(2). It is also most relieving to see the country being led now by two moderate and genuine people, President Suleiman who remains a blessing to our stability, and Mr. Salam, a person who is known for his integrity and decency. Now please gentlemen, all hands on deck, there's much to be done, your work is already cut out for you. Furthermore, now all the parties must at all costs translate their new-found maturity by giving all the support for this new cabinet. God bless Lebanon.
10 years
(3) Maybe it's in my nature to be an optimist rather than a pessimist, but then here's how I look at the current picture. For about 30 years, we Lebanese have lived under Syrian tutelage, a very cruel one indeed, table manners were not the order of the day under them. Then all of a sudden, the Syrians got booted out without the use of one single bullet. So all of a sudden, we Lebanese were left to fend and think for ourselves, here I believe that all the tricks of the trade were used by both M8 and M14. After 9 bitter years, it does bring some reassurance to note that finally all sides have come to understand that compromise and dialog are their best options. Let us call it maturity by all concerned, but COHABITATION now seems to have settled into the minds of all parties, and so much the better.
10 years
(4). I furthermore believe that if we all build on that new-found wisdom, then we can gradually inch our way towards solving all the problems that our nation faces, including Hezbollah's reintegration back into the family fold. Nothing is simple, yet where there is a will, surely the way is open for us all, and for a better Lebanon for all the Lebanese, in a Lebanon of laws and of solid constitutional institutions. It can be done, let us now just pick up on the momentum.
10 years
Forget about lack of electricity and infrastructure, forget about arms being everywhere and about corrupt politicans ........ the greatest challenge to oveercome is coming up with a Policy Statement. Once done, everyone will rejoice with accomplishment and meeting the National Challenges.
(1) Maybe this new cabinet is not the best that has come, but in light that has started is now nothing short of miraculous. Furthermore, it is a big achievement for us Lebanese, that even if the procrastination has dragged on for much too long, at least we did not lower ourselves again by having to go to either Damascus, Taef or Doha. Yes, this cabinet is far from what we wanted, but all the same, better such a cabinet than none at all. Then if we look below skin-depth, one could be reassured that some real effort have been made by all the parties, who have finally come to accept that compromise in the name of national interests far outweigh all other party consideration.