Ban Urges Speedy Formation of Unity Cabinet
U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon has called for the speedy formation of a national unity government in Lebanon after last month”s power-sharing agreement between rival factions.
"We expressed hope that the Lebanese people after the election (of the president) should form a national unity government as soon as possible," Ban said Sunday on the final day of a visit to Saudi Arabia.
Ban also met Druze leader Walid Jumblat in the Red Sea city of Jeddah and urged him and other leaders "to expedite the formation of a national government and not lose the momentum."
The Arab-brokered agreement sealed in the Qatari capital, Doha, led to the May election of former army chief Michel Suleiman as president, putting an end to 18 months of political stalemate between the majority and the opposition.
The deal gave the opposition the power to veto government decision-making and wider representation in a new line up, with 11 seats to be allocated to the opposition, 16 to the majority and three to be appointed by Suleiman.
But efforts by Prime Minister Fouad Saniora to form a new cabinet over the past two weeks have hit snags as rival factions disagreed over who should head the key defense, interior, finance and foreign affairs ministries.
Saniora told reporters on Saturday that he hoped "to be able to make progress at the beginning of next week" while his advisor Mohammed Chatah said the next day that there was a "better than 50 percent chance" the government would be formed soon.
Former President Amin Gemayel also said on Saturday he expected a new cabinet soon.
"White smoke will inevitably rise next week as things have become clear," Gemayel said, referring to the signal given when a new pope is chosen.