Miqati Still ‘Patient’ Amid Suggestion of New Names to Lead Interior Ministry

Officials involved in the formation of the new government are mulling new names to head the interior ministry after President Michel Suleiman and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun failed to agree on who would name the minister.

High-ranking March 8 sources told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Sunday that some parties suggested naming Ghaleb Ghanem, the former head of the Higher Judicial Council, as interior minister given that he is Maronite and a neutral personality.

The sources said the cabinet deadlock would end if the portfolio was granted to Ghanem. They added that failure to agree on Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji’s proposal to name Brig. Paul Matar led to a suggestion to appoint Ghanem to the post.

Al-Hayat’s report came as Premier-designate Najib Miqati held talks with Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain el-Tineh on Saturday night, the second meeting between them in the past 48 hours.

Miqati and Berri had also met on Thursday.

According to An Nahar newspaper, the two men discussed the government impasse and mainly the dispute over the interior ministry portfolio.

An Nahar quoted a source following up contacts as saying that the major slogan to the cabinet formation process was patience.

Miqati’s circles also told Voice of Lebanon radio station that the prime minister-designate was still holding consultations away from the media spotlight.

They reiterated that Miqati will not give up the task of forming a balanced government that is capable of carrying out its mission amid delicate local and regional circumstances.