Hariri Meets Aoun Away from Reporters' Eyes
Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri visited the Baabda Palace Tuesday afternoon for a meeting with President Michel Aoun that was held away from reporters' eyes.
Sources close to Hariri told TV networks that the PM-designate "explained to Aoun his stance that rejects the appointment of a March 8 Sunni minister from his own share."
Hariri also told Aoun that "the cabinet line-up is ready in terms of portfolios and distribution" and that "the names remain incomplete pending further efforts to resolve the obstacles."
Hariri's Future TV had earlier said that the PM-designate's visit was aimed at "continuing discussions and consultations over the cabinet formation process.”
MTV meanwhile reported that Hariri had asked that the meeting be held without media coverage.
“Any meeting between President Aoun and PM-designate Hariri will be held without media coverage unless an agreement is reached over the Sunni obstacle,” Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) said.
According to MTV, phone talks between Aoun and Hariri had not stopped since Monday.
"Hariri will present a draft line-up not containing the names of Hizbullah's ministers," the TV network said, adding that Hariri "left the presidential palace without anyone seeing him after a meeting that lasted an hour and a half."
A new obstacle had emerged Monday in the cabinet formation process after Hizbullah insisted that a grouping of Sunni MPs opposed to Hariri should be represented in the government.
The new hurdle surfaced after a long-running standoff over the representation of the Lebanese Forces was resolved earlier in the day.
Hizbullah has refused to provide Hariri with the names of its new ministers in a bid to press the PM-designate to accept its demand.
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