Cabinet Crisis Comes to Standstill Over Telecom Ministry
As Lebanon ushered in the month of November, hopes of cabinet formation before Independence Day faded with media reports saying Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun continued to insist on giving the Telecommunications portfolio to Minister Jebran Bassil.
Aoun has reportedly rejected giving the telecom portfolio to anyone other than his son-in-law Bassil. He has also demanded getting at least one key ministry like the energy or education portfolios.
However, PM-designate Saad Hariri”s offer to Aoun includes the telecom ministry on condition that it is not headed by Bassil and the tourism, culture and displaced ministries with the possibility of replacing the culture with the social affairs portfolio.
A second offer by Hariri includes giving Aoun the education or energy ministries in addition to the displaced, social affairs and labor portfolios.
Opposition forces held a meeting in Rabiyeh on Sunday night. The conferees included Aoun, MP Suleiman Franjieh, Hizbullah leader”s political assistant Hussein Khalil and Bassil.
The opposition figures discussed ways to end the cabinet crisis and agreed to keep contacts open between Franjieh and Hariri.
Meanwhile, pan-Arab daily al-Hayat said Monday that a Hizbullah delegation visited Damascus during the weekend and discussed with top Syrian officials the Lebanese cabinet issue.