I Chose Not to Make Public Statements; There Is a Need for “Calm Dialogue”
Premier-designate Saad Hariri said Thursday after talks with President Michel Suleiman said the distribution of cabinet portfolios and ministerial nominations required "clam dialogue" adding he had avoided making statements in order not to complicate matters further.
"I have adopted two approaches since the start of the government formation process," Hariri said after the meeting at Baabda Palace.
"The first is not to allow the ongoing disputes to impact the economy and tourism; and the second is to avoid making statements in order not to be dragged to situations from which there is no turning back," he told reporters.
Hariri described as "natural" ongoing arguments over cabinet portfolios. "The distribution of portfolios and ministerial nominations require calm dialogue, which is the way that will help eliminate obstacles," he said.
"We want a homogeneous government, even among the ministers themselves," he said, adding that it was "the right of each team to request the portfolios it wants."
"We are keen on forming a government. The process is advancing, although not at the pace that we want, but we will have a government eventually," he said, pointing to the constant cooperation with Suleiman and Speaker Nabih Berri for that purpose.