Naharnet

Adib Tries to Resolve Hurdles as Ibrahim Launches Mediation

Prime Minister-designate Mustafa Adib was the one who called President Michel Aoun and asked for 24 more hours to try and find solutions for the obstacles delaying the formation of the new government, al-Jadeed TV reported Wednesday afternoon.

General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim has meanwhile launched mediation efforts at Aoun’s request and will communicate with Hizbullah, the AMAL Movement and France in a bid to resolve the finance portfolio obstacle, al-Jadeed quoted unnamed sources as saying.

As for the stance of ex-PM Saad Hariri, who on Wednesday said that “the finance ministry and all ministerial portfolios are not an exclusive right to any sect,” the sources said that Hariri “will not offer concessions this time.”

“He is not willing to reverse his stance on the rotation of portfolios,” the sources added, denying reports that senior French official Bernard Émié has visited Lebanon.

“He is rather holding contacts with political parties in Lebanon,” the sources noted.

Aoun has meanwhile said that he supports the rotation of all portfolios on the condition of “national consensus” on such a move, the sources said.

Referring to the consultations that the president held with parliamentary blocs on Monday and Tuesday, the sources said the blocs told Aoun that they will not grant their vote of confidence to a government that they do not approve of.

“They will not accept that the ministers be exclusively named by the PM-designate,” the sources added, pointing out that “the problem lies in the PM-designate’s failure to directly communicate with the parties concerned.”

“He has not communicated with the ‘Shiite duo’ over the interior portfolio,” the sources also noted.

Source: Naharnet


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