Moussa: Mines Push Lebanon to Red Lines
As efforts to form the new cabinet appeared stalled, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa sounded the alarm, saying Lebanon is nearing the red lines.
"Mines are being planted in Lebanon …in extremely dangerous circumstances," Moussa told the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat.
"In deed, we are nearing the red lines" in Lebanon, Moussa warned.
"A settlement should emerge from within Lebanon. We wait to find out how would Lebanese politicians deal with efforts to form the cabinet," Moussa added.
Moussa”s remarks followed reports that efforts to form the new cabinet have been frozen following rejection by Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun of a settlement proposed by Hizbullah and accepted by the majority.
Premier-designate Fouad Saniora on Saturday held telephone discussions with President Michel Suleiman and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri that focused on efforts to form the cabinet, which have not achieved a breakthrough.
The daily An Nahar quoted Berri as emphasizing on the need to calm down and defuse tension.
"We need to calm down the atmosphere and allow cold-headed people" to tackle the issue.
"Things cannot proceed this way," Berri stressed.
Meanwhile, Free Patriotic Movement official Gibran Bassil said the group is "withdrawing the concession it recently made and in which we accepted two basic portfolios and the seat of deputy premier."
"We want a sovereign portfolio," Bassil told An Nahar.
The publication quoted FPM sources as saying the group wants the finance portfolio in addition to the ministries of public works and social affairs as well as the seat of deputy premier.
President Suleiman told visiting diplomats on Saturday that failing to form the new cabinet is "not justified."
Suleiman said all factions should facilitate the effort and whoever blocks the cabinet formation is "committing a big mistake against the nation and the people."
"The Lebanese people are for stability," Suleiman stressed.