Suleiman, Saniora Talks Fail to Reach Breakthrough on Lingering Crises
A meeting held between President Michel Suleiman and al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc leader MP Fouad Saniora didn't reach any breakthrough over the ongoing political crisis in the country.
According to local newspapers published on Friday, the meeting that lasted an hour discussed the cabinet formation process and the possibility of reviving the national dialogue among the foes.
Sources close to Saniora said in comments published in al-Joumhouria newspaper that his bloc and the March 14 alliance are holding onto the formation of a neutral cabinet, which excludes the March 8 and 14 coalitions.
Al-Mustaqbal official called on Suleiman for the swift formation of the new cabinet.
Prime Minister-designate Tammam 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.
The daily pointed out that the two officials also addressed the resumption of the all-party talks.
Meanwhile, sources told An Nahar newspaper that the petroleum file was also tackled.
Saniora, according to sources, reiterated al-Mustaqbal's rejection to holding an extraordinary session for the caretaker cabinet as the constitution prohibits it.
Acute discord among Lebanese officials is delaying the awarding of 10 offshore blocks for oil exploration.
Caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil and Speaker Nabih Berri are calling for an extraordinary session for the cabinet to endorse two decrees that call for demarcating 10 maritime oil exploration blocks and setting up a revenue-sharing model.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati continuously argued that holding a session for the cabinet requires a unanimous political agreement, pointing out that a caretaker cabinet can't approve non-essential decrees.
Bassil postponed again last week the oil and gas tenders from December 10, 2013 to January 10, 2014 after the cabinet failed once again to convene to approve the two decrees.
The country's oil and gas wealth attracted around 46 Arab and international companies in the second pre-qualification round of the tenders process.
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