Regional Influence Eyed as Cabinet Formation Efforts Come to Standstill
All eyes are turned to Syrian President Bashar Assad”s meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Tehran on Wednesday, as media reports said the results of the talks could impact the formation of the Lebanese cabinet.
An Nahar daily said sources following up the government formation process are speculating in what ways the Damascus-Tehran ties would affect the distribution of portfolios in Beirut.
Meanwhile, MP Michel Aoun hasn”t yet replied to an invitation by PM-designate Saad Hariri for lunch. Sources following up the issue told the newspaper that the Hariri-Aoun meeting hasn”t been held because the FPM leader insists on delegating caretaker Telecommunications Minister Jebran Bassil to negotiate with the Mustaqbal leader and Hizbullah.
Furthermore, Aoun insists on giving Bassil, who is his son-in-law, a portfolio in the next cabinet.
As Safir daily said Aoun is not likely to accept the invitation of Hariri who is no longer insisting on the meeting following the FPM leader”s press conference on Monday.
Sources following up Hariri”s efforts to form the cabinet told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat that the premier-designate is also not likely to accept Aoun”s conditions to give the FPM a key cabinet portfolio and bring back Bassil to the new government.
Al-Mustaqbal sources told As Safir that Aoun”s conditions are complicating the cabinet formation process and making a possible meeting with Hariri over lunch unsuitable.
Also on the cabinet crisis, Nabih Berri”s visitors said the speaker was pessimistic because "things have taken a personal tone," in reference to media and political campaigns between Aoun and Hariri.
Berri did not make a statement after his weekly meeting with President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace on Wednesday.