Jumblat Says President is the Guarantee, Demands Public Works Ministry
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat said that the president is the guarantee for making key decisions and demanded the public works ministry portfolio in the new cabinet.
President Michel Suleiman "will be the guarantee. Meaning, the use of veto power will no longer be possible and there will be no need for it," Jumblat said.
He told several Beirut dailies that Lebanese parties want the cabinet to be formed by the end of the week.
He said that he asked the opposition to nominate Minister of Youth and Sports Talal Arslan for a seat the new government, because "I cannot include him in my share due to an atmosphere of consensus, and because I cannot obstruct the formation of the new cabinet."
The Druze leader also said he did not want the ministry of the displaced and information, adding he has only asked for the public works ministry which was held by Ghazi Aridi in the previous cabinet.
"It seems that we are second and even third class citizens and we don”t have the right to any key ministry," the PSP leader said.
Asked about the non-attendance of the PSP representative at the weekly meetings of the March 14 general secretariat, Jumblat quipped: "It”s the primordial stage."