FPM, Hizbullah Boycott Cabinet Session over Appointments Row
The Free Patriotic Movement and Hizbullah boycotted on Thursday a cabinet session after officials failed to strike a deal to meet the request of the FPM on the appointment of top officers.
Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil told Prime Minister Tammam Salam that his party's two ministers will boycott the session and that Hizbullah's representatives in the cabinet will also not attend the meeting in solidarity with their allies.
As for the Marada movement's minister, Raymond Araiji, he did not attend the session for being abroad.
The agenda of the session did not include controversial items, the majority of which were adopted after the 18 ministers guaranteed the necessary quorum of the 24-member cabinet.
Information Minister Ramzi Jreij said following the session that Salam urged ministers to steer the cabinet clear of their differences.
“We know there are many differences among political parties but the government … should be allowed to manage the country's and people's affairs,” Salam said.
He had earlier said that he would not reject any discussion on the appointments in the military council if his deputy Defense Minister Samir Moqbel proposes the issue.
Salam told his visitors that he gives his blessing to any agreement reached among the different political parties represented in the government.
He denied that he intends to obstruct any plan.
Bassil told Salam that his party does not have objections to the agenda. But that it is awaiting the approval of appointments in the next session.
The government met late in 2015 to approve a plan to export Lebanon's waste. Its last meeting was in September.
The FPM's demand for the appointment of top military and security officials and its call for changing the decision-making mechanism of the cabinet in the absence of a president have led to a paralysis.
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