Aoun Wants Interior Ministry for Franjieh … Franjieh Rejects, Saniora Insists Post is President”s Choice
Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun has reportedly suggested a new equation for the cabinet line-up where Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh gets the interior ministry while Elias Murr keeps his post as defense minister. But Franjieh rejected the offer.
Prime Minister-designate Fouad Saniora also insisted that both the interior and defense ministries were President Michel Suleiman”s pick.
"National interest requires that the President gets the security-related interior and defense ministries," Saniora stressed, adding that the opposition "is free to choose one of the two" remaining top cabinet posts – finance and foreign affairs.
The Central News Agency said Franjieh refused to "enter the cabinet names bazaar," insisting he will not join "any" government before the next parliamentary elections in 2009.
CNA quoted Franjieh as expressing willingness to "show flexibility in the cabinet line-up in exchange for ratifying the electoral law" in line with the Doha agreement.
News reports on Wednesday said Suleiman will intensify contacts with the various pro- and anti-government camps in an effort to find a way out of the cabinet crisis.
The daily Al Akhbar said Suleiman was likely to receive Franjieh at the presidential palace on Wednesday.
It said Franjieh reiterated that the opposition continues to hold onto its demand regarding the cabinet make-up.
"The opposition leadership as well as all opposition forces support Gen. Michel Aoun," Franjieh told Al Akhbar.
He said the opposition believes that Aoun”s demand is a "right that should be granted to him."
Al Akhbar, however, said that in light of the lack of common ground between the ruling majority and the anti-government camp, no breakthrough towards ending the cabinet crisis seems to be in the offing.
The pan-Arab newspaper Al Hayat agreed, saying that there is no indication that the crisis would end any time soon.
Al Akhbar said that the cabinet formation is likely to drag until after the Mediterranean summit which is due in Paris mid-July, adding that Suleiman has not yet determined whether to attend the meeting or not.