Hariri from Baabda: Nearby Breakthrough in a Few Days
Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri arrived in Baabda Palace on Saturday”s noon to meet with President Michel Suleiman and discuss the general situations especially the outcome of the discussions and meetings held by the PM-designate about the formation of the anticipated government.
Hariri mentioned that the cabinet formation discussions will be continued through the next three or four days and that he is aspiring a near breakthrough.
After the talks, President Suleiman hosted PM-designate Hariri on lunch table.
"I have put the President in the image of the discussions outcome and things are advancing. Everyone wants to see a new cabinet as soon as possible," said Hariri after the talks.
On the other hand, Hariri said that good relations with FPM leader MP Michel Aoun are progressing and that the dialogue that happened in the previous weeks was for the sake of Lebanon. He added that the positive impacts will appear soon.
Hariri concluded that it is most important that everyone realizes that Lebanon”s interest lies in forming a national unity government as soon as possible.
The daily An-Nahar described as "good and positive" the atmosphere that prevailed during the Hariri-Aoun talks held in the garden of Center House late Friday.
While As-Safir daily saw that the facts do not bode news of an imminent announcement of a new government, pan-Arab Al-Hayat newspaper was less pessimistic.
It quoted well-informed sources as saying that behind-the-scenes talks between the two men "are not what are being published by the media."
The sources said actual facts indicate that ongoing political maneuvers have most likely entered the final stages.
They said discussions were not focused on the distribution of key ministerial portfolios, saying the health ministry will probably stay with Berri”s bloc, unlike previous reports that said it was presented to Aoun as an alternative.
Media Reports on Saturday said one suggestion to the telecoms ministry knot was that President Michel Suleiman gives Aoun the interior ministry.
Opposition sources told An-Nahar that French President Nicolas Sarkozy has conveyed a suggestion to Syrian foreign Minister Walid Muallem related to a settlement to the telecoms ministry which stipulates that Suleiman names a person who pleases Aoun.