Nine-Page Govt. Policy Statement Expected as Amendments Made to Some of its Articles
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The new government’s policy statement is expected to encompass nine pages, four of which will be dedicated to political issues, while the rest will tackle each ministry’s goals.
The committee drafting the statement held a meeting on Tuesday at the Grand Serail under Prime Minister Najib Miqati during which it finalized the issue of the equation of the army, people, and resistance.
Sources told As Safir newspaper in remarks published on Wednesday that the article’s phrasing differed slightly than the phrasing of the previous government statement as the premier was keen not to copy its exact same terms.
They added that the current phrasing is “stronger” than the previous one.
Ministerial sources told al-Liwaa newspaper that the committee also agreed to introduce minor changes to other articles, including those on ties with Syria and neighboring countries and Lebanon’s international commitments.
It did not however address the issue of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, leaving it to be the last topic of discussion.
This allows Miqati to conduct contacts away from the media spotlight in order to reach political consensus on the matter seeing as some sides in government don’t want to include the STL in the policy statement.
The sources added that these sides are linking the mentioning of the tribunal to including a clause on false witnesses in the investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri or one on refusing to renew the agreement on the STL.
After two hours of reading the policy statement, the ministers at yesterday’s meeting decided to adjourn the session just as they had reached the clause on the electoral law.
They are scheduled to meet again on Wednesday and Thursday.
Should a final draft be approved, then Miqati may call for a government session on Friday for them to approve it.
Speaker Nabih Berri would then be handed a copy of the statement, which he would distribute among the MPs, calling them to session on Wednesday to discuss it.
In a related development, the speaker held talks on Tuesday with his advisor MP Ali Hasan Khalil and Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s political advisor Hussein Khalil on the policy statement and its various contentious issues, especially the STL.
22 June 2011, 15:13
01
Its all a charade, this drafting of a policy statement and being so careful with each word, period, comma and semi-colon. The Mikati coup was formed outside of the law and anything that has its start outside of the law can only pretend to be lawful. This was a Syrian ordered coup which Assad's benefactors in Lebanon faithfully executed against the lawful government.
If this group develops a policy statement that on its face placates people, who is to hold them accountable? When the indictments from the STL are handed down, will this government see to arresting those indicted? Will it arrest members of its own coalition? Especially those members who have guns and used them to intimidate their way to "power" in Lebanon?
The only policy statement that means anything to this coup is to do whatever is necessary, legal or not, to retain power, keep weapons and proliferate its ideology and agenda at the expense of the Lebanese people, their laws, culture of freedom and constitution.
22 June 2011, 21:28
01
This is a Vichy government par excellence. It will fall with the fall of the tyrants in Syria and Iran. Until then it has the capability of causing great harm to our freedom and democracy. Aoun and company are nothing but dummies controlled by Assad. Aoun is used by Assad to get his revenge from the Sunnis, but it is the Lebanese Christians who will pay for Aoun's poison for generations. Moderate Sunnis have been the protector of equal representation of Christians and Muslims to safeguard freedom and democracy. This is gone for good thanks for Aoun's criminal and destructive acts, behaving like a twin brother of Khadafi. Aoun's only support in Lebanon comes from the Basij's arms and his click of profiteers. He cannot escape people's justice that is coming faster than anyone think.
22 June 2011, 21:54
10
"Gebran" if you know anything about history and "vichy" government...Vichy government was opposed to the French Resistance and supported occupation. The new government SUPPORTS the resistance against Israeli Fascists who are occupying Lebanon and a threat to Lebanon and the entire middle East. Vichy is a better description for those who oppose the RESISTANCE (clue M14).
22 June 2011, 21:58
00
"Gebran Sons for Cedar Revolution II in 2013". When 30% of Christian population has the same power as 70% of Muslim population it is not called "democracy". In the West, we call it Apartheid.
22 June 2011, 22:44
01
Nabil I always enjoy enlightening dark ignorant minds so if you have one listen up, during the Vichy regime there were Mussolini's fascists who had occupied a tiny portion of southern eastern France the rest was under the Nazis who controlled most of the country directly or by proxy. Calling yourself "resistance" just because the occupation granted you that classification allowing you to forcibly extinguish all the others doesn't make you one especially not when you keep thanking the foreign army that was occupying 95% of your country. I'm through teaching now go back to your regularly scheduled program of counting pink elephants and flying pigs.
22 June 2011, 23:16
01
"D'emocrat", when the Christians and at least half of the Muslims constitutionally agree that the powers should be divided equally amongst both sects to preserve the cultural diversity and heritage of Lebanon in the West as everywhere else it's called democracy. Some of the remaining Muslims follow a group hatched, financed and armed by a foreign country which itself is lead by an unelected almost illiterate supreme leader who's only goal and raison d'être was, is and will always be establishing an Islamic republic subordinate in every way to the Iranian Islamic republic. The leader of that Lebanese group proudly calls himself a soldier in the army of the foreign leader. Another thing to keep in mind the group in question is closed to all but a specific confession some even call it a cult and that my friend is Apartheid.
23 June 2011, 00:09
00
After March 14 losers have finally been given a one way ticket, this country has freed itself from the evil grasps of the Wahabi kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the imperialistic West! ONE WAY TICKET TO ALL OF THE CORRUPT!
23 June 2011, 03:32
00
Someone, according to Aoun the corrupt are his new bosses at least that's what he was saying for fifteen years before they used the proceeds of their corruption to buy him off. Also according to Aoun's new bosses he is the corrupt one at least that's what they were saying for fifteen years before they found out he could be bought on the cheep. So where are they all going, Aoun and Kermit the son in law can use Bashar's private plane* I'll book a charter flight for the rest.
*On second thought Bashar might be needing his private plane for himself so I'll just pencil in Aoun and Kermit on that charter as well.
