Report: Hariri to Call for Cabinet Meeting

Prime Minister Saad Hariri is expected on Monday to call the ministers for a meeting this week to tackle the “government statement” following a political crisis that paralyzed the country after his shock resignation on November 4, al-Joumhouria daily reported.

President Michel Aoun is set to chair the session at Baabda Palace Tuesday or Thursday.

An unnamed source told the daily that Hariri will call for a “Tuesday meeting to discuss the government statement. Discussions with various political parties, including Hizbullah, are ongoing to agree on the final version of the statement.”

Reports have said that the Cabinet statement calls for the implementation of Lebanon's dissociation policy, commitment to the Taef Accord, and adherence to the policy of nonintervention in the internal affairs of Arab countries.

On the other hand, ministerial sources told the daily that “the date of the meeting tomorrow is not conclusive and it could be postponed until some things are sorted out,” but stressed that it will take place this week.

Hariri had caused widespread perplexity on November 4 when he resigned during a TV broadcast from Saudi Arabia, citing assassination threats and blasting the policies of Iran and Hizbullah in Lebanon and the region.

After a puzzling mini-odyssey that took him to France, Egypt and Cyprus, Hariri arrived back in Lebanon on November 21 and then announced that he was putting his decision to quit on hold ahead of negotiations.

But while Hariri and his Saudi backers seemed on a collision course with Hizbullah last month, an apparent behind-the-scenes deal now appears to be restoring the status quo.

The premier has called for dissociating Lebanon from the regional conflicts through ending Hizbullah’s involvement in them, revealing that “there is seriousness in the ongoing contacts and dialogues” and that the other parties seem to be inclined to accept his proposals.