Suleiman Upset by Aoun’s Conditions, Says he Would Name his Ministers Only when Lineup is Ready
President Michel Suleiman has clearly announced his rejection of Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun’s attempts to impose on him a candidate for the second Maronite minister that is part of his share in the new cabinet.
Baabda palace sources told al-Liwaa newspaper published Friday that “Suleiman rejects preconditions set by any side on his choice of his representatives in the government.”
The name of the sixth Maronite minister in the cabinet, which according to An Nahar might be Nazem al-Khoury, would be chosen by the president himself, the sources stressed.
The president is clear that he would only name his ministers once Premier-designate Najib Miqati presents to him the final 30-member cabinet lineup draft, al-Liwaa reported.
Agreement has already been reached with Aoun on allotting the interior ministry portfolio to retired Internal Security Forces Brig. Gen. Marwan Charbel. Suleiman’s share also includes a state minister.
Al-Liwaa said the aide of Speaker Nabih Berri, MP Ali Hassan Khalil, and Hussein Khalil, who is Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s political advisor, asked Suleiman on Thursday to name his candidate for the second Maronite minister.
But the president refused, telling them he wasn’t “putting sticks in the wheels of the cabinet formation but at the same time he rejected being pressured or held responsible for the government deadlock.”
The two men visited Baabda palace in an attempt to bridge the differences between Suleiman and Aoun, who has insisted that the second Maronite minister should not be from Jbeil or Kesrouan for reasons linked to the parliamentary elections in 2013.
Suleiman told MP Khalil and the Hizbullah chief’s aide that he was facilitating Miqati’s mission but this move would not be at the expense of the constitution and institutions, al-Liwaa said.
almost 13 years
The President in Lebanon has no power or prérogatives after Taef . So Mr President , stop talking about prerogatives , because you have nothing at all .
You dont even have the right to name a minister , we are no longer in a Presidential régime , we are in a Parliamentary régime , where the political parties and blocs that have the majority , decide who to name as ministers and wich portfolio to have .
almost 13 years
I wonder this: what percent of the political instability or paralysis or chaos in Lebanon is the result of foreign interference? Some Lebanese accuse Syria of interference, but Syria seems weak compared to Israel, France, and the US. What would Lebanese politics look like if Israel adopted majority, i.e., non-Jewish rule, taking US and French pro-Israel interference out? That would leave intact US and French interference based on "historical connections", such as the Christian theme.
the more syrian pressure dies,the more fakhamto is strong.
n.b. i suggest the name of captain hanna for defense.