Miqati Meets Matar, Voices Optimism Government Will Be Formed Soon
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati expressed on Thursday optimism that a new government may be formed soon.
He said: “Positive signs indicate that a new cabinet may be formed soon.”
He made his remarks while holding talks with Beirut Maronite Bishop Boulos Matar.
“We hope that the Bkirki national charter will be translated into actions on the ground,” added the premier.
Matar later held a luncheon banquet in Miqati's honor.
Efforts to form a new government have reached a deadlock, mainly over Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun's refusal to relinquish the Energy Ministry portfolio.
An Nahar daily on Thursday said he is refusing to give the portfolio to any of his allies in the Amal movement, Hizbullah, Tashnag and Marada parties to facilitate the government formation process.
Al-Joumhouria newspaper said however that a major breakthrough was made on Wednesday night when talks between the FPM and ex-PM Saad Hariri's al-Mustaqbal Movement led to a deal to give Aoun a so-called sovereign portfolio in addition to another ministry that has a balancing role in return for granting the energy portfolio to a non-provocative consensual person.
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