Bassil Hits Back at Suleiman from Dubai amid Reports of Meeting with Hariri
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Caretaker Energy and Water Minister Jebran Bassil on Sunday responded to remarks voiced by President Michel Suleiman about the issue of ministerial portfolios, as a media report said the minister met with former Premier Saad Hariri in Dubai.
“Whether you understand us or misunderstand us, we are exerting efforts to make Lebanon bigger and more important than a ministerial portfolio,” Bassil said in remarks from Dubai to the Sawt el-Mada radio station, which is affiliated with the minister's Free Patriotic Movement.
Meanwhile, NBN television said Bassil held a meeting in Dubai with ex-PM Hariri.
“Is clinging to a certain minister, precondition or portfolio more important than clinging to Lebanon?” Suleiman asked rhetorically in remarks voiced earlier on Sunday.
On Friday, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported that Hariri had telephoned FPM leader MP Michel Aoun, noting that “none of the parties has agreed to confirm or deny the phone call, although sources concerned have affirmed that the talks were positive and contributed to easing tensions.”
The stalled cabinet formation process faced a new hurdle after Aoun rejected the rotation of portfolios among sects and political parties and insisted on keeping the energy portfolio with Bassil, his son-in-law.
A rumor about an alleged meeting between Aoun and Hariri in Rome has been running for over a month, as both parties refuse to deny or confirm the report. Aoun himself refused to confirm or deny the news during an interview on al-Mayadeen TV on January 31.
10 February 2014, 00:52
44
There will be a deal where everyone accept rotation in principle but will have Bassil leading the ministry for the duration of this cabinet and for a maximum of 1 year.
10 February 2014, 11:41
23
Whenever a minister does something right and for the benefit of all Lebanese, there comes voices -or should I say "His Master's Voice"...remember the old records famous label- that overload the web with biased ideas blinded by sectarian and allegiance to leaders who have managed to only ruin the country over the last couple of decades!
Mind you I'm not an FPM member, just a Lebanese citizen who looks at things in an objective and unbiased manner.
Ignorance, blind allegiance to any leader and subjective confessional thinking is what's leading Lebanon down the drain...with totally sterile and unproductive comments like all the above!
Open your eyes and look out!!!
10 February 2014, 13:44
32
Please help the "idiots" understand how imBassil plans to make Lebanon bigger.
Does he mean he plans to conquer Syrian land and annex it to Lebanon ?
Or Bado i Balet el Bahr ?
Does he plan to grow our tourism industry with new War Tours for the adventurous ?
Or our economy with the influx of investors he's capable of attracting by providing them with security and advantages. And how does he plan to bring back our youth who have fled the country for greener pastures ?
Please explain FT because unlike you M8 idiots, we other idiots are uncapable of understanding beyond his BIG HEADLINE : MAKE LEBANON BIGGER... empty of any arguments, plans and strategy...
10 February 2014, 14:25
22
sure FT does not understand the meaning of making lebanon "bigger"... how can iletterates understand english properly? LOL
he is a complete frustrated FPM virgin....
10 February 2014, 14:42
12
When we look at voting patterns on this site, it's obvious M8 gang play with the votes. Why not answer the question of how Bassil plans to make lebanon bigger ! Any input or is this the typical M8 empty comments and big headlines as usual ? Politicians that are so full of shit their supporters are puking it all over ...
10 February 2014, 17:00
11
sure FT does not know the meaning of making the country "bigger"... so he gets mad and cannot even discuss its meaning! he just resort to insults like he is used to, just to blindly dfend the words of his idols... like a perfect FPM takfiri he is... let us all pity his ignorance... poor girl..
