Report: Salam Adamant to End Dispute over State Security File

The calls of Prime Minister Tammam Salam for the cabinet session on Tuesday have cleared the air of doubts following the latest heated session over the appointments of the members of the general-directorate of state security, An Nahar daily reported on Sunday.

The cabinet had convened on Thursday, but it was marred by the ongoing dispute over the state security agency. The possibility of holding another session was questionable.

A dispute erupted at Thursday's meeting and was focused on the budget of the agency and differences between its director Major General George Qaraa and his deputy Brigadier General Mohammed al-Tufaili.

The disagreements between the two officials has started to take on a sectarian turn, reports have said.

Tourism Minister Michel Pharaon supports Qaraa, who represents Christians, and Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil supports Tufaili, who enjoys the backing of several ministers, including Nouhad al-Mashnouq, Akram Shehayyeb, and Wael Abou Faour, reports say.

In March, the Kataeb Party’s three representatives in the cabinet in addition to Pharaon warned that they would take action if the government fails to resolve the “marginalization” of the general-directorate of state security.

Economy Minister Alain Hakim, of the Kataeb Party, had said at the time that all Christians reject the neglect of the department.

The general-directorate of state security had sent a bill to the cabinet on March 20, 2014 asking for the creation of a six-member leadership authority under which Qaraa, a Catholic, would have the casting vote.

But the former secretary general of the cabinet, Suhail Bouji, paralyzed the plan by saying that the approval of the bill requires a draft-law to be adopted by the parliament unlike a decision made by the Shura Council, the report said.

Media reports quoted a ministerial source as saying that Bouji’s move likely came as a result of his friendship with Tufaili.