Jumblat Meets Berri, Says 'Positive' Developments in Cabinet Formation Process

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Sunday reported “positive” developments in the cabinet formation process, noting that Speaker Nabih Berri “always facilitates things.”

Jumblat, who visited Ain el-Tineh with caretaker Social Affairs Minister Wael Abu Faour, told al-Manar TV that “meetings with Berri always lead to positive things.”

“We stressed the importance of a political solution in Syria,” Jumblat was quoted as saying.

“The meeting with Berri was comforting and it involved discussions over all topics. Speaker Berri always facilitates things and we sense his keenness on stability,” he added.

For his part, Berri's aide Ali Hasan Khalil told al-Manar that "Jumblat tackled Berri's (recent) visit to Tehran," adding that they "discussed the political solution to the Syrian crisis."

Meanwhile, MTV said the Berri-Jumblat meeting “did not lead to anything new except for the mutual praise between them.”

Reports that Berri was expected to meet Sunday with al-Mustaqbal bloc chief Fouad Saniora turned out to be unfounded and talks between the two leaders are likely to take place on Monday.

The cabinet formation process was put on the front burner after Berri proposed a revised 8-8-8 government formula and President Michel Suleiman said he would form a so-called neutral cabinet if the political rivals don't agree on an all-embracing government within ten days.

Al-Manar said “Saniora will visit the PM-designate (Tammam Salam) after he meets Berri to inform him of the final stance of the March 14 forces."

Amid the Lebanese Forces' rejection of Hizbullah's participation in the cabinet, the March 14 camp has reportedly accepted the 8-8-8 formula in principle but it is awaiting answers pertaining to the ministerial policy statement and the rotation of portfolios among political parties.

Meanwhile, March 8 sources told OTV that the March 14 forces are “putting the cart before the horse by raising the issue of the ministerial policy statement.”

The TV network quoted sources close to Salam as saying that “there are no new developments in the cabinet formation process but the indications are positive.”

“We're serious in our intent to reach an agreement, but it should be over clear points, before we can join a political cabinet,” OTV quoted Mustaqbal sources as saying.

MTV said the “confirmed thing” is that the controversial army-people-resistance formula “will be replaced with another equation” in the ministerial statement.

“Berri is awaiting to hear from Saniora March 14's approval of an all-embracing, political cabinet and he will then answer these forces' questions,” a high-ranking March 8 source, meanwhile, told LBCI TV.

“Suleiman informed Saniora that the presidency cannot guarantee any answers to the questions of the March 14 forces and that's the reason behind the Berri-Saniora meeting,” LBCI said.