Russian Deputy FM to Voice Support to Govt Formation during Lebanon Visit

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov is scheduled to arrive in Lebanon in the upcoming days, media reports said on Tuesday.

According to al-Liwaa, the Russian official will stress during talks with senior officials the importance of forming a new cabinet.

The newspaper said that Bogdanov will also underline his country's commitment to the Baabda Declaration and the urge parties to abide by the country's dissociation policy.

The Baabda Declaration was approved unanimously during a national dialogue session in June 2012.

It calls for Lebanon to adopt a policy of disassociation from regional developments.

The cabinet formation process reached an impasse after being put on front burner after Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun insisted that his bloc retain the Energy and Telecommunications Ministries portfolios, currently held by caretaker Ministers Jebran Bassil and Nicolas Sehnaoui respectively. In addition to his rejection to the concept of rotation of ministerial portfolios.

However, Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam, who was appointed in April, is holding onto the concept of “fair, balanced and comprehensive rotation of portfolios,” which is rejected by the Free Patriotic Movement.