Minister Hamadeh expects cabinet by weekend
Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamadeh expressed his satisfaction with the general optimism surrounding the imminent formation of a national unity government in Lebanon, which would be a “breakthrough” in Lebanese politics.
The minister said he expected the completion of the government by the weekend. “Of course, it must adhere to the structure agreed on in Doha,” he noted.
“I can almost say that there has been a coup in national temperaments among all parties over the past 36 hours,” Hamadeh added.
He listed Future bloc chief MP Saad Hariri’s visit to Baabda, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s press conference on Wednesday, and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt’s recent statements as indicators of progress in the cabinet formation.
The reactivated communication between General Michel Aoun, a major Hezbollah ally, and incumbent Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and contacts between Hariri and Speaker Nabih Berri also revealed a firm base for building a cohesive government, the minister told the Voice of Lebanon radio station.
“Having reached this level of communication from communication via intermediaries, we must work to keep these channels open and upgrade the current level to a higher level,” Hamadeh added.
Hamadeh said the imminent release of Lebanese detainees from Israeli prisoners and their return to their homeland was also an incentive to expand networking among feuding factions.