Cabinet Policy Statement New Point of Contention
With cabinet on the verge of formation following more than four months of attempts by PM-designate Saad Hariri to broker a deal, the government policy statement seems to be the new subject of contention.
An Nahar daily said Saturday that some majority forces have been asking not to mention the resistance arms in the policy statement. Such a demand has been met with an insistence by the opposition not to bring up the issue of Lebanon”s commitment to international resolutions.
Al-Liwaa, newspaper in its turn, said a new war has erupted between majority and minority over Hizbullah”s arms.
It said Christians in the March 14 forces insist on discussing the issue of Hizbullah”s weapons during national dialogue sessions headed by President Michel Suleiman rather than mentioning them in the policy statement.
According to al-Liwaa, Hizbullah has informed Hariri that it would propose not to bring up the issue of resolutions 1559 and 1701 if there was no mention of the party”s arms.
The newspaper, said, however, that contacts made on Friday led to a decision to include the article of the previous policy statement as a middle ground solution that satisfies all parties.