Dispute Over 6 Maronite Ministers: Aoun Wants 5 while Suleiman Wants 2

A solution to the stalemate of the interior ministry portfolio gave rise to a dispute between President Michel Suleiman and Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun on the Maronite ministers.

An Nahar daily said that after Suleiman approved Aoun’s suggestion to name retired Internal Security Forces Maj. Gen. Marwan Charbel for the interior ministry post, he asked for a second Maronite minister to be part of his share in the new cabinet given that the FPM chief has claimed that Charbel is a consensual candidate and should not represent the president alone.

The dispute over the sixth Maronite minister in the government is expected to further delay the formation of the cabinet.

As Safir newspaper also confirmed reports about the bickering between Aoun and Suleiman. It said that Aoun’s envoy Caretaker Minister Jebran Bassil had asked for the remaining five Maronite seats to be all from the Change and Reform bloc’s share.

Meanwhile, Charbel visited Premier-designate Najib Miqati on Thursday.