Hariri-Aoun Meeting Could Produce Final Decision on Cabinet
A meeting likely to be held this week between PM-designate Saad Hariri and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun could produce a final decision on a Cabinet lineup.
Hariri will discuss names and the distribution of ministerial portfolios during his meeting with Aoun which is expected to take place in the next couple of days, according to press reports.
On Sunday, Aoun reiterated that obstacles to government formation were internal, and not external.
"Internal political sides severing the interest of foreign players in Lebanon are obstructing government formation," Aoun said.
He accused "some parties" of putting a foreign agenda into action in order to weaken state institutions and to enable external powers to take control over Lebanon.
Despite the positive atmosphere that has prevailed in Lebanon following the outcome of last week”s Syrian-Saudi summit, political leaders stressed that Arab-Arab rapprochement is not a substitute for Lebanese consensus.
The obstacles seem to be revolving around the finance and telecoms ministries.
As-Safir newspaper, however, citing well-informed sources, said Monday that the major remaining knot was the telecommunications ministry, adding that efforts are undertaken to find a solution that "does not upset anybody."
Simultaneously, it quoted sources close to Hariri as emphasizing that there "is no way that Mustaqbal Movement would abandon the finance ministry as part of a compromise."
Future Movement has held on to the finance ministry for nearly 12 years.
On Sunday, caretaker Finance Minister Mohammed Shatah said the new government would be only achieved if the principles declared by Hariri were respected.
"Otherwise, the process would be delayed regardless of the outcome of the Saudi-Syrian summit," Shatah said.
On a proposal that suggested portfolio rotation among political parties, Shatah said he rejects the concept of "monopolizing" any Cabinet seat, including Finance.
"But, at the same time, that doesn”t mean the finance ministry should be granted to a party that wants to impede the government job as a team," he added.
Aoun has demanded the finance ministry if the FPM was to give up the telecoms portfolio.