Salam Denies Heading Saudi Arabia, Suleiman Insists on Including Hizbullah in Cabinet Line-up
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam denied on Wednesday that he will head to to Saudi Arabia amid reports that President Michel Suleiman won't approve the formation of a new cabinet if Hizbullah was excluded.
Al-Joumhouria newspaper reported that earlier on Wednesday that Salam will head to Riyadh to offer condolences over the death of Prince Musaed bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, the bother of Saudi King Abdullah.
The daily said that he will also hold talks with senior Saudi officials including the chief of General Intelligence, Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, and ex-PM Saad Hariri.
However, Salam denied later on the report.
Meanwhile, the cabinet formation deadlock is expected to face further complications as the daily reported that Suleiman informed Salam that he will not “sign any formation decree if Hizbullah wasn't included in the line-up.
Sources told the newspaper that Salam is expected to hold talks with Suleiman later on Wednesday.
Salam, since his appointment to form a cabinet in April, is seeking the formation of a 24-member cabinet in which the March 8, March 14 and centrists camps would each get eight ministers.
He is also rejecting granting veto power to any power, which the March 8 camp has been demanding.
The March 14 coalition is meanwhile calling for keeping Hizbullah out of the cabinet over its role in Syria's war.
21 August 2013, 09:35
23
Who is running our Cedar Country ? The Saudis'? Harriri? Which of our Two Prime Ministers' are in power ? Where are our MPs' ? All we know that they are in a " Caretaker" mode , just another word for a " Nanny" !
Dissolve our Nanny State of government & hand ALL power to our LAF ! IMMIDIATELY !
Signed Wolf !
21 August 2013, 09:54
11
Yes give power to the military Egypt is a perfect example of a military government.
21 August 2013, 10:13
10
To compare our beloved LAF to the Egyptian Military is like comparing a grain of salt to a grain of sugar ! Long live our LAF for absolute rule ! Every member of a Lebanese family in Lebanon has a Son or Daughter in our Security Forces regardless of their sect , or political affiliation ! It is the foreigners we have worry about not the Lebanese, we can fix our internal problems over a cup of coffee in the morning by the afternoon we are celebrating .
Signed Wolf !!!!!
21 August 2013, 11:50
10
Is M8 really asking for veto power? I heard they gave the request up. Or is their insistence on 'parliamentary weight' considered equivalently a veto power?
21 August 2013, 12:32
10
Yes very true , but to little too late !
Power should now be in the hands of the LAF !
OTHERWISE WE ALL AT THE MERCY OF THE OUTSIDERS !!!!
Signed Wolf .....
21 August 2013, 15:59
02
Its one thing to include Hezbollah, it is quite another to give them a veto over decisions of the counsel of ministers.
They will not be a part of a Council in which they do not have the numbers necessary to veto actions that run contrary to their interests.
The LF will not vote for a government that has any Hezbollah membership.
The best course therefore, if you are not to give them a veto is to exclude them and if they want a confrontation with the State over this, then let there be a confrontation. It is time to purge this cancer from Lebanese soil and return it to Iran from where it came.
21 August 2013, 17:40
20
Minibash, did Suleiman respond to your direct address to him already or has he already embarked on his SHORT vacation, SIR? May I suggest that you send him your suggestions via certified mail with return receipt and tracking information? Valuable advice like yours should not go unheard, minibash SIR.
