Suleiman to Take his Time on Cabinet Lineup Decision as Opposition Sticks to its Rejection
Meetings between President Michel Suleiman and different political parties are expected to gather pace following the opposition”s rejection of Premier-designate Saad Hariri”s proposed line-up for a national unity government.
Hariri presented Suleiman a draft 30-seat cabinet on Monday. But his move cannot go into effect unless Suleiman approves it by signing a decree forming the new government.
Suleiman told An Nahar daily before his meeting with Hariri on Monday that he would not give the green light to a cabinet line-up that "I won”t like."
"If the line-up was reasonable, I would take my time in making consultations, particularly with the speaker," Suleiman said.
"There is nothing easier then letting a team of Lebanese clap for me from here and there. But I want to save the country," he told An Nahar.
He stressed that he wants a "balanced government because the situation would explode with an extremist cabinet. This would lead to outside intervention."
Hariri”s move was swiftly rejected by opposition groups. Speaker Nabih Berri”s political assistant Ali Hassan Khalil headed to Beiteddine and informed Suleiman about the opposition”s united stance.
Late Monday, the opposition”s follow-up committee also held a meeting at Telecommunications Minister Jebran Bassil”s home. MP Khalil and the Hizbullah leader”s assistant, Hussein Khalil, agreed with Bassil that the three men would visit Suleiman on Tuesday and reiterate the opposition”s rejection of the cabinet line-up.
Hizbullah”s al-Manar TV criticized Hariri”s move in its main news bulletin Monday night describing his government as the "fait accompli cabinet." It added that Hariri opened the way for "major question marks regarding the fate of national unity."
Meanwhile, Berri who meets Suleiman each Wednesday, preferred not to comment on the Hariri move, pan-Arab daily al-Hayat said. Opposition sources also told Asharq al-Awsat that the speaker was "very upset."