Bassil Hits Back at Suleiman from Dubai amid Reports of Meeting with Hariri
Caretaker Energy and Water Minister Jebran Bassil on Sunday responded to remarks voiced by President Michel Suleiman about the issue of ministerial portfolios, as a media report said the minister met with former Premier Saad Hariri in Dubai.
“Whether you understand us or misunderstand us, we are exerting efforts to make Lebanon bigger and more important than a ministerial portfolio,” Bassil said in remarks from Dubai to the Sawt el-Mada radio station, which is affiliated with the minister's Free Patriotic Movement.
Meanwhile, NBN television said Bassil held a meeting in Dubai with ex-PM Hariri.
“Is clinging to a certain minister, precondition or portfolio more important than clinging to Lebanon?” Suleiman asked rhetorically in remarks voiced earlier on Sunday.
On Friday, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported that Hariri had telephoned FPM leader MP Michel Aoun, noting that “none of the parties has agreed to confirm or deny the phone call, although sources concerned have affirmed that the talks were positive and contributed to easing tensions.”
The stalled cabinet formation process faced a new hurdle after Aoun rejected the rotation of portfolios among sects and political parties and insisted on keeping the energy portfolio with Bassil, his son-in-law.
A rumor about an alleged meeting between Aoun and Hariri in Rome has been running for over a month, as both parties refuse to deny or confirm the report. Aoun himself refused to confirm or deny the news during an interview on al-Mayadeen TV on January 31.
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