Cabinet Faces “Test of Intentions” as Suleiman against “Neutral” Minister
President Michel Suleiman, just like PM-designate Saad Hariri, has also rejected a Cabinet lineup that includes a "neutral" minister, the daily An Nahar reported Tuesday.
According to information obtained by An Nahar, the process of government formation has reached a "delicate experimental stage" that will soon decide the course of action Hariri can take.
An Nahar recalled that talks on creating a government of national unity were launched end of June with an Opposition demand for veto power.
When Hariri rejected this demand, the Opposition proposed a Cabinet lineup that would include a so-called "neutral" minister in which a ministerial seat from Suleiman”s share would be given to someone accepted by both March 8 and March 14 forces, An Nahar went on to say.
It said the Opposition had wanted to "personally" pick the neutral minister, an offer rejected by both Suleiman and Hariri.
At this point, according to An Nahar, the Opposition began sending signals that it no longer was holding on to veto power.
Hariri grabbed these signals to "test" the Opposition which coincided with Suleiman”s insistence on naming a minister from his side, given that the Opposition acknowledges the President”s consensus role.
Sources told An Nahar that the current situation has reached a final test stage. They said Hariri will examine the Opposition”s intentions and see if March 8 Forces had "really" given up their veto power call.
Only then, a real breakthrough could be announced, the sources said.
They said, however, that things are likely to develop in the next 24 hours.