Hariri Awaits Aoun Response to Lunch Invitation to Discuss Stalled Cabinet Formation
As government formation entered its eighth week Monday, Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri was still awaiting for a response to his request for a face-to-face meeting with Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun to discuss a Cabinet lineup which remains deadlocked.
Senior sources from the March 14 coalition told the daily An-Nahar in remarks published Monday that Hariri was still waiting for Aoun”s response since last Friday when he dispatched his advisor Nader Hariri with the invitation for lunch in Qoreitem.
The sources said Hariri left it to Aoun to determine the "suitable" meeting time.
They said Aoun likely has a desire to outline his stances on a number of issues with regard to government formation before giving Hariri an answer.
Contrary to positions suggested by the Opposition forces, An-Nahar said it had learned there was no Hizbullah mediation between Hariri and Aoun.
It quoted Opposition circles as saying it is essential that Hariri holds "direct talks" with Aoun in an effort to create positive climates that would help in reaching the expected government.
As-Safir newspaper, meanwhile, citing political circles, said the current week is "decisive."
"Either the road is paved for government formation or the birth of a new Cabinet would be postponed for a long time," As-Safir quoted one political source as saying.
The source said that "the last chance for government formation lies in the direct meeting which is likely to take place between Hariri and Aoun this week … provided Hariri would come out with an acceptable outlook that would allow Aoun to meet half way through on grounds of making reciprocal concessions."
A well-informed source from al-Mustaqbal Movement told As-Safir that a Hizbullah proposal that calls on each party to choose its Cabinet portfolio is "not practical," since Hariri is not "just a post office box where names of ministers are dumped."
The source said Hariri and President Michel Suleiman have agreed not to appoint election losers in the new Cabinet.
He believed that Telecommunications Minister Jebran Bassil”s experience was "a failure and therefore, does not encourage his re-appointment."