Miqati Calls Jumblat to Inform Him of Resignation and PSP Leader Rejects It
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Intensive contacts were held overnight Friday-Saturday between Prime Minister Najib Miqati and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat and his ministers, during which Jumblat rejected Miqati's suggestion that he would submit his resignation, official sources said.
“Jumblat rejected Miqati's resignation out of fear of a governmental vacuum and the inability of any caretaker cabinet to control security should the situations deteriorate,” sources close to the premiership told the pan-Arab al-Hayat newspaper in remarks published Sunday.
“Only a few contacts were held with President Michel Suleiman via his entourage who communicated with some March 14 leaders, who noted that the absence of an alternative to the current government would push things to further deterioration as 'we would be killed and no one would hold the murderers accountable,'” the sources added.
They noted that consultations over Miqati's possible resignation continued until Saturday morning, when he met with the ministers of the National Struggle Front who later held talks with Suleiman ahead of the cabinet session.
“Suleiman said he does not mind that efforts be made to reach a settlement by forming a new government but stressed that the proper environment must be created before performing such a step,” the sources said.
News of a possible resignation by Miqati sparked the attention of some Western powers, with British Prime Minister David Cameron telephoning the premier overnight Friday, especially that Miqati had told some parties that he does not want to serve as a caretaker PM and that he would leave the country should he take the decision of stepping down.
The opposition March 14 camp has accused the Syrian regime of assassinating Internal Security Forces' Intelligence Bureau chief Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan in a massive car bombing on Friday, calling on Miqati to resign.
Miqati revealed on Saturday that he has taken the decision to “no longer hang on to the premiership,” urging the formation of a national unity government.
He said: “I suspended my decision to resign at President Michel Suleiman's request.”
He made his statements after an extraordinary cabinet session held at the Baabda Palace in wake of the assassination.
The premier explained that Suleiman requested a timeframe for him to consult with members of the national dialogue table over his decision not to remain in the premiership.
Miqati told reporters: “The request for a timeframe stems from a realization that Lebanon is facing a plan to create strife in the country.”
“This is a national issue and we are keen on an preserving the nation. We do not want to leave Lebanon in a vacuum,” he declared.
“Those who have placed personal gain over national interests have met a bad fate, such as exile or assassination,” he added.
“I call on the politicians to unite, set their differences aside, and make the formation of a new government an easy task,” demanded the premier.
On Hasan's murder, he revealed that cabinet decided to refer the case to the judicial council.
He also demanded that the Telecommunications Minister hand over the telecom data in the case, dating back to September 19, to the investigation.
“I do not want to jump to conclusions in the case, but we cannot separate Hasan's murder to that of the arrest of former Minister Michel Samaha,” Miqati noted.
Hasan was killed on Friday as his unmarked car crossed a street adjacent to the bustling Sassine Square in Ashrafiyeh in Beirut
Conflicting reports emerged over the number of dead in the blast with some sides putting the figure at three and others at eight.
At least a hundred people were wounded in the explosion.
21 October 2012, 11:19
15
So they want to keep the government as if nothing happened? The government that includes the killers is going to preach about maintaining stability and security? Apparently the only kind of stability and security they care about is their own, while killing their opponents with no consequences.
21 October 2012, 12:09
03
Although I support M14 principles, I am inclined to agree with you that M14 are the lambs and M8 are wolfs. M14 must put up their game or give up, it is the nature of the game. Saudi Arabia and USA are toying up with M14. Deep inside Obama is pro Syrian/Iranian regime supporter, he only brought ruins to the Middle East by being a silent statue to all our events and suffering.
21 October 2012, 12:47
06
I see your point but who has orphaned the M14 members, it is definitely not Israel as M8 always claim. The criminals are known and justice should be served.
21 October 2012, 13:58
16
Good, Mr. Know It All, now that you have spit the shit out of your mouth (most probably rotten oranges), the least you could do is to enlighten us with the M8 program, yes you heard me, the M8 program, I am not joking.
21 October 2012, 20:17
02
lol...m8 want a free sovereing country!?? Why dont they send the army on the border, summon the syrian embassy, prevent hezbollah to interfer in syria, ask for a demarcation of our borders?? As fo tueini, gemayel and the others... your comment is disgusting! Tfeh aleik! It is your people who killed them and crippleed them ya Kalb! As for m8 ... we have seen their performance... our country has never fallen so low in all domains, starting with censor, economy, development, investments, tourism... You beter shut the hell up FT, cause all your words are lies and cheap propaganda!
21 October 2012, 12:10
05
Although I support M14 principles, I am inclined to agree with you that M14 are the lambs and M8 are wolfs. M14 must put up their game or give up, it is the nature of the game. Saudi Arabia and USA are toying up with M14. Deep inside Obama is pro Syrian/Iranian regime supporter, he only brought ruins to the Middle East by being a silent statue to all our event and suffering.
21 October 2012, 12:38
12
ASSThrower JumpBlatt only called Miqati after hesbollah had a gun to his head and forced him....
Long Live The Syrian Civil War!
21 October 2012, 13:18
13
JUMBLATT YOU ARE PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. You gave the enemy of Lebanon this government: pro-syrian, pro-hezobolah, pro-assassinations, pro-bombs, pro-lawlessness. only michel aoun matches this foolishness.
21 October 2012, 13:50
30
The best thing is to keep the government while working on creating a technocratic centrist government. Once the names of the new government are approved, this government can resign, to prevent vacuum. But I strongly suggest keeping Mikati as head of gvt.
The M8 government has done too many mistakes. And M14 are without vision, and without leaders, their initial message has been dissolved. We want centrist technocrats who understand their files. Keep the politics in the parliament, not in the cabinet.
21 October 2012, 14:23
03
Miqati turned to be an honorable man after all. Stay untill the President permits your dismissal
21 October 2012, 15:49
20
When one plays with fire he eventually gets burned. The bitter divisions among all parties, the foolish decisions to jump head first into the Syrian quagmire by many has finally exploded in everyone's face. The reality is that this country's contradictions and lack of a united front to face looming dangers places it at risk. I have lost all confidence that this country can overcome the repercussions of the war raging next door and we are now starting to see its effects on our nation. This is only going to get worse as political parties blame and insult each other as they always do following a terrible event like this one. This government while far from perfect, has provided some level of stability and a sense of security....asking it to resign without a viable alternative is a recipe for disaster.
21 October 2012, 15:56
02
What a charade. What will Miqati's resignation accomplish? Will it bring the criminals to justice? Will it make Hezb weaker?
It's Hezb that should resign. They should be expelled from the government they should have never been a part of. It's sad that we are where we are, but it has been expected since Hezb keeps getting stronger and they are the troubling element in all this.
21 October 2012, 17:28
31
you call the latest assassination spring cleaning? exiled also? ya 3aybechoum 3leik! I hope you left the United States and moved to Iran!
21 October 2012, 17:37
03
"refusing" a resignation has no legal merit especially not from an MP! These are all lies..
21 October 2012, 18:38
00
to Flame thrower,,,You are the filthiest, brainless pig with no tail but only an asshole for the rest of pigs like you to injoy, go F%$# your self looser filthy syrian!!
21 October 2012, 18:47
00
To Flame thrower or pig shit eater!!,,, you are the filthiest pig, brainless looser, if you infront of me now i will fu*k you up,,Iranian Bitch!!
21 October 2012, 19:05
00
To Flamethrower and shit swalower!! you are an idiot from an idiot family born and race as a moron!! if i were you i would shoot my self!!
21 October 2012, 19:24
03
Jumblat is proving as much a traitor as his crappyness Nassralah
22 October 2012, 02:22
00
habbet FT al he is wasting his time.
hahahahah
3ama shou we2e7 ,wle aya time?ma your job is to be on alert 24 hours a day and defend the Deserter Michel aoun,the terrorist cunt hassin,and the criminal Bashar.
wasting time ,lol.
22 October 2012, 02:27
00
Ft Sermeye ,remind me a another cunt who called himself Phenicien ,who kept barking ta tbahdal bi intikhebet ou khtafa.
is he back under a new nick?????
22 October 2012, 04:15
00
Another bashar worshipper, fawaz you moron it is Hezbollah who is interfering along Iran muqtada sadr , your brothers in Iraq who kiss Americas ass. Going to Syria to kill Sunnis, there jihadi duty, don't worry ya khanzeer, the free Syrian army will be in dahiye, and baalabek soon. It's over for you folks, I hope your ready to fight 20 million syrians
22 October 2012, 04:25
00
The onw who supports the criminal is also a criminal, I don't understand you Shia. You used to say that the alawis are kuffar, now you are allied with them. You show no remorse for the Sunni children and women who get killed and raped in Syria or the elderly beaten, everyone seen the videos on YouTube of Syrian soldiers or shabiha forcing people to say bashar is god and to prostrate to him, we all seen the 75 and 85 year olds that were freed from a prison, we all seen the babies who were butchered with knives, we all seen the planes bomb people indiscriminately. Your master in Iran is like a the cancer in the Arab world, if you really want to kill the snake , you have to cut off the head, I hope the Iranian people build some courage and stand up to there tyrant leaders soon who claim to be muslim, but are infect the biggest enemy to Muslim and Arab world.
