Sources: Majority of Ministers to Vote in Favor of Funding

The majority of the 30-member cabinet ministers would support the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon if the issue was put up to vote during a session scheduled to be held next Wednesday, informed sources said.

The sources told al-Liwaa daily published Friday that if President Michel Suleiman decided to put the funding issue to vote, 16 or 17 ministers would vote in favor of paying Lebanon’s 49 percent share to the tribunal.

They said that Tashnag party ministers Vrej Sabounjian and Panos Manjian, Marada movement representative Salim Karam, the minister loyal to the Lebanese Democratic Party leader, Marwan Khaireddine, and Minister Faisal Karami will most likely vote in favor of the funding.

If Premier Najib Miqati was able to lure the five ministers into supporting the funding, they would increase the number of ministers in favor of the payment of Lebanon’s shares to around 16 or 17 ministers against 13 representatives of Hizbullah, the Free Patriotic Movement and Amal in the cabinet.

Manjian told LBC TV that the Tashnag party will take its decision on the funding during the cabinet session next week. “We are discussing the issue with our allies,” he said.

Miqati and the forces represented in the cabinet are seeking to find a consensual solution ahead of the November 30 session to avoid resorting to voting.

On Thursday, the prime minister urged Hizbullah, the FPM and Amal to consider the funding as “an insurance policy against the storms in the region.”

However, Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi, who is loyal to the FPM, told As Safir daily that the funding crisis requires a “magical solution.”

The newspaper confirmed that consultations are underway between Speaker Nabih Berri and Miqati to resolve the problem which could put Lebanon in confrontation with the international community.

Miqati has come under increased pressure from abroad to pay Lebanon’s $33 million share for the tribunal this year.