Miqati Avoids Removing Sunnis from ‘Sensitive Posts’ as Packed Agenda Awaits Cabinet Meeting

Prime Minister Najib Miqati will keep top Sunni personalities in their “sensitive posts” despite previous campaigns by his allies to remove them for being close to former Premier Saad Hariri, ministerial sources said.

The sources told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat published Monday that among the officials that Miqati intends to keep in their posts are General Prosecutor Saeed Mirza, Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi and head of the Intelligence Bureau Col. Wissam al-Hassan.

Most of the Sunni personalities filling the “sensitive posts” are from northern Lebanon and particularly from Miqati’s hometown of Tripoli where his electorate is based, the sources said.

Miqati will give priority to full vacant seats in major state institutions when the cabinet meets on Thursday for the first time since receiving the vote of confidence from parliament.

The packed agenda of the government includes decisions on approximately 1,700 political, economic and social issues, As Safir newspaper reported.

But the first session will include 70 items on the agenda and will mostly deal with administrative issues, mainly a request to approve the extension of UNIFIL’s mandate which expires in August.

The renewal of Central Bank Governor Riyad Salameh’s mandate, and the appointment of the army chief-of-staff and the director-general of the presidency will be proposed from outside the agenda, As Safir said.

The army chief-of-staff is expected to be Brig. Gen. Walid Suleiman while sources close to Miqati and President Michel Suleiman remained mum on the candidate for the post of Baabda palace’s director-general.