Siniora Cabinet picks delegates to Arab League talks in Cairo
The government formed a delegation to represent Lebanon at the extraordinary meeting of Arab foreign ministers during a Cabinet session on Monday. The meeting is scheduled to take place on Sunday in Cairo, and the political deadlock in Lebanon is expected to figure among the top items to be discussed on the agenda.
The Cabinet decided that acting Foreign Minister Tarek Mitri would head the delegation to Cairo, which will include Prime Minister Fouad Siniora”s adviser, Mohammad Shattah, and the Foreign Ministry”s director general, Bassam Naamani, among other officials.
Resigned Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh said on Thursday that he has not yet decided whether to participate in the extraordinary Arab foreign ministers” meeting.
He added that since the meeting was aimed at discussing the situation in Lebanon, “Arab foreign ministers should be exposed to the points of view of feuding groups.”
“I endorse the option of having two delegations represent Lebanon at the meeting,” Salloukh told Voice of Lebanon radio station
Salloukh said he welcomed “serious efforts” aimed at reaching a solution in Lebanon. “I hope these efforts will succeed in reducing the impact of inter-Arab and regional tensions over the Lebanese situation,” he said.
He added that it was essential that all foreign forces agree on keeping Lebanon away from their quarrels and disagreements. “The Lebanese must be given the chance to reach an agreement,” Salloukh said.
Siniora kicked off the Cabinet session by responding to remarks made by Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah during an interview Wednesday.
Siniora accused Nasrallah of crippling attempts to resolve the political deadlock in Lebanon, as well as “presenting inaccurate information to the public.”
Nasrallah had accused the March 14 Forces of obstructing international initiatives aimed at solving the crisis in Lebanon and warned that the anti-government camp would take decisive measures within 10 days if mediation efforts fail.
A statement issued by Siniora”s press office earlier Thursday said Nasrallah”s interview revealed Hizbullah”s “true aspirations which aim at changing the system in Lebanon and toppling the Taif agreement.”
“Those who seek partnership should rather seek middle solutions instead of setting conditions and clinging to them,” the statement added.
Siniora said Nasrallah was using the issue of the permanent settlement of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon “as a scarecrow to stir the Lebanese against the government, when all the Lebanese have long ago agreed to oppose the resettlement of Palestinians”
According to Nasrallah, the US aims to bring about the permanent resettlement of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, “not for humanitarian reasons of course but to jeopardize the Palestinian cause and the right of Palestinians to return to their homeland.”
“Nasrallah has announced that the presidential void will persist until he has full control over Lebanon, even if that is built the remains of Lebanon,” Siniora argued.
In its Thursday session, the Cabinet also agreed to extend the term of the administrative council of the National Social Security Fund for an additional two months, and extended a decree which freezes the activity of sand and rock quarries for an additional three months.
The Cabinet also said it will subsidize wheat “so as to preserve the price of bread.”
It also approved a draft proposal for having the Palestine Liberation Organization build itself a headquarters in Beirut.