Fatfat fears Doha agreement shaken
Youth and Sports Minister Ahmed Fatfat warned that the Doha agreement was vulnerability to “tremors” caused by disagreement over the formation of a Lebanese cabinet.
“The parliamentary majority chose Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to head the government by a large majority and thus according to the constitution,” Fatfat said. “If there is no solution in two or three days to the formation of the next government, this means that the opposition has no intention to implement the Doha agreement.”
Fatfat described the Doha agreement as “an Arab agreement under international cover” and called on the Lebanese and Arab states to be “active” and work for the implementation of the agreement.
In a statement to the Egyptian “Middle East News, Fatfat said the opposition had raised “the ceiling of its demands” too high. “If the opposition demands a sovereign ministry, that means that they want to retract from the president’s share and are attacking the Doha agreement.”
The minister said Syrian-Lebanese would be discussed between both sides involved under Arab auspices in the “next phase.” Syria indicated that it expected the formation of a Lebanese government soon and was ready to establish diplomatic relations with Lebanon, he added.
Yet Fatfat said the parliamentary majority also wanted recognition and control of the Lebanese-Syrian border and the end of arms-smuggling across the border. “We want better relations with Syria because we are in a state of antagonism and conflict with Israel.”