Solution Looming on Horizon for State Security Crisis

The government is expected to agree on Monday on a solution to the controversial issue of the State Security agency, ministerial sources said.

The sources told An Nahar daily that the government will likely approve the allocation of funds to State Security, which tops the agenda of the cabinet session.

The move will facilitate the discussion of other urgent matters following weeks of wrangling among ministers on the matter.

The sources said that the government will likely approve the funds for State Security and form a committee to discuss ways to organize its leadership structure.

Christian ministers have been accusing the rest of the cabinet members of sidelining the security apparatus by not providing it with enough funds to operate and allowing the deputy leader, a Shiite, of marginalizing the role of the Catholic director-general.

Despite the optimism expressed by An Nahar’s source, another ministerial source said that the controversial issue has not been resolved yet.

“There won’t be any settlement the Lebanese way, unless the law is enforced,” the source told al-Joumhouria newspaper.

“The situation will remain the same until all sides are convinced of the enforcement of the law on the establishment of a general directorate for State Security” with a clear division of tasks, the source added.

G.K.

D.A.