Cabinet Crisis Reaches Peak, No Breakthrough in Overnight Opposition-Hariri Talks
The Cabinet crisis in Lebanon has reached its peak with both Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri standing "stubborn" against Opposition demands and the Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance holding on to its requests.
When it comes to principles I am very stubborn and will never ignore political issues related to Lebanon”s independence and stability," Hariri told an iftar in Qoreitem on Wednesday.
He revealed that he would take "decisive steps in the coming two or three days that are in the best interest of the country."
Hariri on Monday presented a Cabinet lineup for President Michel Suleiman”s approval. The proposal, however, was quickly rejected by the Opposition.
The premier-designate, nevertheless, said he was still open to negotiations with the Opposition concerning the Cabinet makeup.
Hariri reiterated that any government proposal "should be in proportion to the outcome of the June 7 parliamentary elections."
Following the iftar banquet, Hariri met with Hizbullah official Hussein Khalil and AMAL movement representative Ali Hassan Khalil.
The daily An-Nahar on Thursday said caretaker Telecoms Minister Jebran Bassil was "excluded" from the meeting in Qoreitem which lasted well into the early morning hours.
As-Safir newspaper, however, said Hariri”s advisor, Nader Hariri, conveyed to Bassil an invitation on behalf of the premier-designate to join the meeting in Qoreitem.
It said that following consultations with Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, it was decided that Bassil "apologizes" for not attending the Hariri-Khalils meeting.
The deal with the Opposition Troika (Bassil plus Hizbullah and AMAL officials) which met Suleiman earlier Wednesday was that the two Khalils will meet Hariri and "if the atmosphere was positive, they would ask Bassil to join the meeting."
But an hour-and-a-half into the meeting, the conferees did not call Bassil to join in, As-Safir reported.
Al-Akhbar newspaper, for its part, said talks between Hariri and the two Khalils failed to produce a deal.
It quoted a well-informed source as saying the conferees discussed the points of dispute, "but no one convinced the other of his viewpoint."
"Talks ended with no understanding on any point. They did not even agree on a new meeting date," the source said.
Al-Akhbar said Hariri appeared to be tending toward quitting his task as premier-designate in view of the demands and counter demands.