Salam Laments Standstill but Says Door is Open to Consultations to Resolve Crisis
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam has lamented that the cabinet crisis has been further deadlocked by the conditions set by Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun.
In remarks to several local dailies published on Friday, officials close to Salam said: “There was no particular political activity yesterday.”
“The past few hours were characterized by a standstill,” they said.
“But the doors haven't been shut to the ongoing negotiations” to form the new government, the officials told the newspapers.
They denied that Salam proposed a line-up to President Michel Suleiman during their last meeting on Wednesday.
“But there were consultations on some names,” they said.
The PM-designate has informed some parties about the possible distribution of portfolios but he hasn't received any names from them, the officials said.
Salam is insisting on the rotation of portfolios among sects and political parties in a 24-member government based on the 8-8-8 formula.
But Aoun is sticking to his demand to retain the energy and telecommunications portfolios.
Caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil, who is Aoun's son-in-law, said Thursday that the FPM wanted a sovereign portfolio and the energy and telecommunications ministries, in addition to a fourth portfolio.
He rejected accusations that their stance was impeding the cabinet formation process.
31 January 2014, 08:12
128
Salam will be a PM designate longer than he would actually be PM.
31 January 2014, 08:56
139
guys, look closely at 2 things:
- Ukraine
- Syria's chemical weapons.
31 January 2014, 09:02
136
geha, Kerry is meeting the Ukraine opposition!!! The Europeans and Americans want the Ukrainians. They love blonde women)
31 January 2014, 10:39
134
apart from the fact Ukrainian women being pretty, the issue being created for putin is not simple, and is a direct response to what is going on in Syria, thus the reminder for the chemical weapons....
as well, iran is not exempt from criticism as they have not disbanded hizbushaitan yet, and even the cabinet formation is not done.
iran has to abide by the agreements or else....
31 January 2014, 08:35
137
The problem is HA and cronies are threatening not to hand over the ministries and as we all know they dont mind using force internally. Still, the lebanese have had enough, do it Mr Salaam, do it for Lebanon. Leave all the warlords,thieves and killers out, that would be the best thing you have done in the history of Lebanon.
31 January 2014, 09:02
136
You are correct cedars, but the president & the PM should go ahead and form the technocratic cabinet they have the right to do so. Then everyone would plainly see who are the ones working for Lebanon's good and who are the one's working for their own good. If they do not turn in the portfolio's they would be flat out braking the law and the charade would be over.
31 January 2014, 09:04
129
For two weeks they have been whining endlessly… and if that is not bad enough their idolizers are in a frenzy… I thought the_snore was about to choke on a fur ball :-(
31 January 2014, 09:16
138
today Southern will eat Chow Fun Cantonese Noodles and Shrimp Dumpling Soup to celebrate the Chinese New Year:)
31 January 2014, 11:03
136
"Bassil, who is Aoun's son-in-law, said Thursday that the FPM wanted a sovereign portfolio and the energy and telecommunications ministries, in addition to a fourth portfolio"… Bassil are you sure you did not leave anything out of your wish-list, after all Lebanon owes you & and your daddy so much more!
31 January 2014, 15:32
145
could u please tell us why fpm was years ago for rotation, but now not anymore?
31 January 2014, 16:01
124
Lets see, who has a lot of money, paid drone/zombies? That vote is similar to your fake votes here. Its so M8. You have the resources, its similar to how a lot of people in lebanon receive threats via sms. Origin? Dahyih...
31 January 2014, 16:12
143
Poor @Jaafar, he's used to 40 plus votes on a daily basis. A couple of down votes today bruised his ego:)
31 January 2014, 12:11
414
if there is no government for 10 month,and if there is a government always some faction disturb its work , our president is politically powerless,..... something is wrong with our constitution (taef) lets face it
its time for Lebanese to sit together and build a nation (ex Egypt)
unfortunately our leaders all of them are puppets waiting for the phone to ring
31 January 2014, 16:16
00
cedre nice thinking
but it will be nicer if we invert what u said why for years aoun wanted rotation and the others not ?????
31 January 2014, 17:05
00
Even when Syria's is in shambles, it still casts a shadow on Lebanon. The cabinet formation will stall until the end of the Geneva talks. By then, Aoun will no longer seek Lebanese sovereign portfolios. Instead, he will challenge Assad for the Syrian presidency and merge what's left of the two countries. Welcome to the greater mini syria.
