Deep Divisions Threaten to Scuttle Moussa”s Efforts to Solve Crisis
Arab League Chief Amr Moussa left Beirut Monday with no breakthrough after reportedly the majority and the opposition rejected a cabinet formula he suggested during the quartet meeting.
An Nahar daily said Tuesday that Moussa proposed a 13+10+7 formula under which a minister accepted by the opposition and another accepted by the majority would be among the seven cabinet members loyal to the president.
His suggestion came Monday during the second round of talks in as many days between March 14 majority representatives, ex-President Amin Gemayel and Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri, and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun in his capacity as representative of the Hizbullah-led opposition.
An Nahar quoted majority sources, however, as saying the FPM leader insisted on three proposals during the meeting, saying the opposition could accept any of them: 11 ministers for the anti-government camp, the adoption of the 10+10+10 formula on condition the president guarantees consensus on major decisions, or a 13+10+7 formula under which the president chooses as part of his share one minister out of 3 suggested by the opposition.
The majority sources told An Nahar that Aoun”s three suggestions lead to veto power, a move rejected by the pro-government camp.
They said the majority insisted on a 13+10+7 formula with no conditions and Hariri suggested the election of a president based on the Arab Initiative and then formation of a government.
Opposition sources reiterated that the March 14 forces were insisting on holding into power.
The Beirut media said that the two sides agreed to avoid verbal accusations and work on preventing any moves that could further deteriorate the tense situation.
Moussa said before leaving Beirut that all factions agree to the first clause of the Arab initiative that calls for the election of Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman president.
However, he said, differences persisted on structure of the forthcoming cabinet. “It is a question of mathematics,” he said.
“I would have liked to leave with a comprehensive paper or a draft agreement but it became clear that more time is needed,” Moussa said.
No date has been set for further talks, a sign of no breakthrough.
However, Moussa rushed to outline that “we”ve agreed on meeting again” in an apparent effort to avoid indicating that the Arab Initiative has collapsed.