Salam may visit Baabda amid reported progress on '5th Shiite minister'

The atmosphere is positive regarding the naming of the so-called “fifth Shiite minister” in the new cabinet and PM-designate Nawaf Salam might visit the Baabda Palace in the afternoon, MTV reported on Saturday.

According to the TV network, intensive contacts were resumed in the morning, following a long night of consultations.

“The possibility of naming former Central Bank vice governor Raed Sharafeddine is being discussed and President Joseph Aoun and Nawaf Salam have taken part in choosing him, but he is still facing major objections,” MTV said.

The TV network added that the consultations involved Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri, Salam and Druze leader Walid Jumblat, who was behind proposing Nasser al-Saidi.

Berri agreed to Saidi’s nomination but the candidate backpedaled after originally agreeing to be named economy minister, MTV said.

“Aoun, Salam and Jumblat discussed dozens of names overnight, amid the president and the PM-designate’s insistence to pick a neutral and independent figure,” MTV added, noting that foreign forces were also part of the consultations.