Aoun-Hariri Meeting to Identify Nature of Obstacles; Set Alternatives
An anticipated meeting between premier-designate Saad Hariri and MP Michel Aoun will form an essential indication as in which direction the government formation process will move, press reports said Sunday.
The meeting is expected to take place within the next 24 hours at Baabda Palace, according to press reports.
President Michel Suleiman will call for the meeting after Hariri suggested it and after a phone call Saturday with Aoun, who agreed to the arrangement.
Suleiman "encouraged Aoun to move forward with the initiative and said he was prepared to support any step that could expedite the formation of the government," palace sources said.
Meanwhile, the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat said that Aoun had still not given an answer on Saturday night. However, sources close to the general expressed optimism that he will accept the invitation.
Other sources told the paper that Hariri”s intitiative formed "an exit for everybody. Aoun himself cannot refuse it because it would embarrass him before the public opinion, allies and supporters."
Interim Minister Jebran Bassil told An Nahar daily that one of the "easiest obstacles was that of the meeting." He added that the most difficult obstacle was that of "the aunt and uncle." Asked what he meant by uncle, he replied: "Uncle Sam."
MP Alain Aoun also told the newspaper that a Hariri-Aoun meeting will have "answers to many issues."
"It will cover general topics, the past phase and ways to reach an agreement with the Change and Reform bloc on the size of representation in cabinet and participation in the political and sectarian system," he said.
"We already submitted our demands concerning the size of participation and portfolios. We hope to receive a reply at this meeting," he added.
Sources told al-Hayat that the meeting could result in a "deal or settlement in which Aoun would give up his difficult demands while Hariri would offer a suitable exit."
They said that if the meeting succeeded in removing the obstacles to the formation it means "they were domestic, but if the hindrance continues this means the obstacles are external."
Last night, a Hizbullah delegation visited Aoun in Rabiyeh to discuss developments in the formation process.