Bassil From Baabda: The Issue of Not Providing Cabinet Portfolios to Election 2009 Losers Has Another Dimension
Telecommunication Minister Jebran Bassil said the issue of not placing those that lost the 2009 legislative elections with government portfolios is an act of a different dimension that aims to cover up things.
He gave no further details.
Following his meeting with President Suleiman in Baabda Palace as an envoy of Free patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Friday, Bassil said: "the relationship between Rabiyeh and Baabda is more than excellent and any statement issued from Rabiyeh [residence of MP Aoun] is not directed to [President] Suleiman and vice versa."
The Telecommunications Minister added that it was agreed that every party is to name whomever, they see fit to a government portfolio adding: "there is no problem if the other side attempts to name one of their own to government that did not win in the parliamentary elections."
"The problem of government formation is not with us, but rather with the otherside," Bassil told reporters.
Bassil also met with Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, at the later”s Center House in Beirut on Friday. Discussions focused on current consultations for forming a new government.
Following a 75 minute meeting Bassil told reporters, " all issues are up for discussion, the atmosphere is very positive there are no closed issues by us or by the PM-designate."
He was asked whether he is the “political knot” standing in the way of forming a new government, "This issue was never approached at all and talking about it is manufacturing a knot."
"The “knot” is not located in a certain place, the search is still ongoing and meetings shall continue," he said.
He added that a meeting between PM-designate Hariri and MP Michel Aoun is possible at any time following progressive consultations.