Syrian Green Light Turns Orange but Miqati Stresses Obstacles are Local

The Syrian green light for the quick formation of the new government in Lebanon began receding, An Nahar daily said Saturday despite insistence by Premier-designate Najib Miqati that he wasn’t being pressured by foreign parties.

Sources following up the formation of the cabinet said that the green light received from Damascus succeeded in finding a solution to the interior ministry deadlock but later brought the cabinet formation crisis to a standstill after flashing orange.

The Syrian move was accompanied by U.S. and European warnings about the formation of a de facto government led by Hizbullah over fears that such a decision would have negative repercussions on Lebanon, the newspaper said.

But Miqati’s circles denied to As Safir daily about foreign meddling in the cabinet formation process, reiterating that the obstacles were local. The sources, however, did not confirm or deny the possibility that the prime minister-designate would resort to a de facto government if a solution was not found.

Miqati has already informed all involved parties that he wants an active and unified cabinet rather than “noisy migratory hawks.”