Jumblat: Are We Supposed to Believe that Aoun’s Demands are Behind Delay in Govt Formation
Druze leader MP Walid Jumblat has informed the leadership of the Progressive Socialist Party that he cannot stand idly by in the face of the cabinet formation impasse, wondering whether he was supposed to believe that Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun’s insistence on getting one or two portfolios was the real reason behind the delay, sources close to Jumblat said.
“An ordinary citizen would not believe that, so how is Jumblat supposed to believe it,” the sources told pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat in remarks published Sunday.
Jumblat was responding to his party members’ questions concerning his latest stance voiced in an interview with Al-Akhbar daily that “Hizbullah doesn’t want the new cabinet to be formed”.
“The PSP leader is a partner in this (new parliamentary) majority and he bears the consequences that ensue accordingly. He believes that it would not be reasonable to address General Aoun’s obstructive demands at the expense of the country,” the sources added.
Asked about how much Hizbullah is willing to try to convince Aoun of reducing his demands, the sources said: “If Hizbullah does not want to abandon Aoun as its leadership is saying, no one is calling for abandoning him, but can anyone say that the cabinet formation process is flawless?”
“If it is true that U.S. and Israeli pressures are behind the cabinet formation impasse, as Hizbullah and General Aoun are claiming, shouldn’t they respond by forming a new cabinet in order to frustrate these pressures?” the sources wondered.
“If the reason of the delay is (premier-designate Najib) Miqati’s submission to these pressures, as General Aoun and Hizbullah are claiming, is it reasonable that Miqati is defying the collective will of Aoun, Hizbullah, Jumblat, the other new majority factions, Syria and Iran? This makes no sense,” the sources added.
over 13 years
what it says is, all lebanon's politicians - without exception - are a hindrance to the advancement of lebanese society.
over 13 years
Hah???
over 13 years
Well, here's my take on this problem:
1. Aoun, which is the mouthpiece for Hezbollah, which is the mouthpiece for Iran and or Syria, is making maximalist demands for ministerial portfolios that are beyond what Sulieman can accept and keep his honor, or that Miqati can accept and still claim to be the Prime Minister. Whether Aoun cares about this, or if his demands are made calculated so as to insure that they will not be met, can't be known.
2. Feltman has been to Lebanon to tell Miqati that if he forms a Hezbollah dictated government that he will face international financial isolation like Assad and his clique. For Miqati this is fatal to his international business conerns.
3. The only alternative is a technocrat government, that Nasrallah, last week rejected.
4. Not able to form a unity government, an M8 govt., or a technocrat govt., Miqati will quit.
5. Israel has abandoned Assad, when KSA does the same, Jumblatt will be the door through which an M14 PM reenters.
over 13 years
I agree with Moonsear, and there are two reasons for these articles that make no sense:
1- The English translation from Arabic generally sucks
2- Yes, they just report the blurts of the politicians (especially the Lebanese ones with all the corrupt wheeling and dealing that goes on behind the scenes), without any journalistic attempt at explaining what is going on.
Naharnet is like all the other Arab and Lebanese news sources. All they tell you is what the politicians say - you get no facts, no analysis - Or, the endless reporting of who met with whom and how they discussed the الأوضاع الراهنة the current situation. They never tell you what they discussed, what the opposing positions were, and what is the impact...
over 13 years
i don't think that anyone in lebanon wants the solution of the problems. right now the lebanese political class is exploiting the impasse. From an M14 point of view the stall in the government formation is consuming the M8 popularity, where as M8 is concerned, much is at stake. If they form a government they will have global heat upon them, if they don't they are some sort of destabilizing syria, and either ways they would have to bear whatever the brink of the syrian revolution. So i don't think it is in anybody's interest to form a cabinet. This should question the source from which the government takes its legitimacy from. definitely not from the people because the only loser in this stalemate is the lebanese people therefore lebanese people should wake up and realize that their leaders have different agendas then taking care of their best interest, it is either the sacrificing of the state for Hezbollah preservation or the burning of lebanon to burn Hezbollah along the way
this can someone translate this article in a meaningful manner?
it means absolutely nothing
That is what happens when news are reported by so-called sources that seem to be aware of everything and anything happening in the country while they don't have a clue