Report: Salam Seeking Equal Distribution of Portfolios in New Cabinet

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam is committed to the formation of a political 24-minister government capable of staging the parliamentary elections and which none of the political powers would enjoy a blocking minority, reported the daily al-Joumhouria Friday.

It said that the new cabinet would distribute portfolios equally between the March 8 and 14 camps, with centrists also enjoying the same number of ministers, whereby each of the camps would obtain eight ministers.

The daily An Nahar reported Friday that Salam is aiming to form the 24-minister cabinet before May 10 or 15.

On claims that the March 8 camp is seeking a blocking minority in a new government, it quoted him as saying: “Such a power will not contribute to the formation of a functioning cabinet.”

Al-Joumhouria noted that Salam had held talks on the government-formation process with President Michel Suleiman on Wednesday.

Should political powers fail to reach an agreement on a new cabinet within the deadline that the premier-designate had set for himself, then he may seek, with Suleiman, proposing a cabinet that will be presented to the political forces.

Observers told al-Joumhouria that such a government may be described as a “de facto” cabinet that may enjoy the support of the March 14 forces and other powers besides the March 8 camp.

His visitors told the daily however that Salam is hoping that the political deadlock would not force him to reach this point in order to avoid a confrontation.

He therefore called on the parties to assume their responsibilities, especially if they failed to reach an agreement on a new parliamentary electoral law and ended up extending the term of the current parliament.

Salam's visitors quoted him as saying that he will remain a centrist along with Suleiman and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat.

“He decided to assume this role the moment he was appointed to his position,” they added.

He will stand at an equal distance from all sides, similar to the president and speaker of parliament, they explained.

He is not in a position to make concessions to any camp, adding that Hizbullah is a main political power in Lebanon and cannot be eliminated from cabinet, said Salam's visitors.

Salam told As Safir daily Friday that he has not yet come up with a government lineup.

“Political escalation over the formation of the cabinet has been taking place for a long time and it apparently will not halt,” he remarked.

“I hope all the parties would ease the tensions in order for us to tackle pending issues calmly,” he continued.

He denied claims that he is seeking a de facto cabinet or one of confrontation, stressing that he wants one that can stage the parliamentary elections.

“I am still in contact with all sides to that end,” stressed the prime minister-designate.

“We should not base claims on assumptions or judge people based on their intentions,” Salam said.

He called for maintaining the consensus that was achieved during his appointment, asking: “Why was I appointed premier-designate if confidence in me has been lost?”

The prime minister-designate has repeatedly said that he is hoping to establish a cabinet of national interests capable of staging the parliamentary elections, which are scheduled for June 16.

The March 8 camp is seeking the formation of a political cabinet, while the rival March 14 alliance is demanding the establishment of a neutral one.