March 8 Forces are Highly Optimistic but Miqati Denies Deal

Premier-designate Najib Miqati has denied reports that a deal was reached to end the cabinet deadlock, saying he was still waiting for parliamentary blocs to provide him with the names of their candidates for the government seats.

“I haven’t been informed about anything,” Miqati told al-Akhbar daily in remarks published Friday.

Miqati, who went to his hometown of Tripoli in the north on Thursday, said he will return to Beirut on Friday.

Sources involved in the consultations aimed at forming the government, said that the premier-designate was “jolted” by the optimism expressed by Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, which according to Miqati might be aimed at “embarrassing” him.

FPM sources said that there are “only small obstacles that could be easily overcome if there is serious willingness to form” the cabinet, a hint that Miqati is not willing to form the new government.

A March 8 source confirmed that the cabinet formation process has reached a “decisive stage,” saying “we would either reach the expected happy ending … or we would enter a tunnel of local and foreign calculations aimed at extending the caretaking stage.”

Speaker Nabih Berri was also among the officials who expressed optimism about the new government lineup, telling An Nahar “all I can say is that the atmosphere is positive.”

His sources told As Safir that Berri and Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah played a major role in facilitating Miqati’s mission.

Thursday witnessed a series of contacts between Hizbullah and the FPM, al-Akhbar said, adding that a telephone conversation was also held between Berri and Aoun.

According to the daily, the contacts led to a solution to the 6th Maronite seat obstacle. Aoun was seeking to name the person who would fill that seat in cooperation with President Michel Suleiman.

The FPM chief reportedly gave up his demand and paved way for Suleiman to name the person. Under this deal, the head of state would have 3 Maronite ministers as part of his share in the cabinet.

Also as part of the alleged deal, Aoun’s Change and Reform bloc would get 10 ministers (8 portfolios and two state ministers), PSP leader Walid Jumblat’s bloc would get 3 ministries (2 Druze in addition to MP Alaeddine Terro), Hizbullah and Amal would have 5 Shiite ministers while the sixth Shiite seat would go to the Syrian Social National Party.

According to al-Akhbar, Miqati would get four Sunni ministers, including Mohammed Safadi, and one Orthodox which would most likely go to Nicolas Nahhas.

However, the daily said that one of the major obstacles that needs a solution is the sixth Sunni seat which the former Sunni opposition is asking for.