Miqati to Unveil Cabinet Soon: We Can’t Ignore al-Rahi’s Stance from Baroud
Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati has reportedly said that he can’t ignore the latest stance of Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi who threw his support behind Caretaker Interior Minister Ziad Baroud.
Ad-Diyar daily on Monday quoted Miqati as saying that he “can’t ignore Patriarch al-Rahi’s stance about giving a portfolio to Baroud in the government.”
The new patriarch told a visiting delegation on Sunday that Baroud is “a national minister who brings hope to every Lebanese.”
As Safir newspaper said that the major obstacle facing the cabinet formation process was solved after an agreement to keep Baroud in his post. However, high-ranking Free Patriotic Movement sources denied any knowledge about such a deal.
The FPM has been at loggerheads with President Michel Suleiman over the interior ministry portfolio which was part of the head of state’s share in the caretaking cabinet.
Miqati’s sources denied to As Safir that the premier-designate would give up his task to form the government saying that he intensified his consultations over the weekend. Miqati met with the advisors of the speaker and the Hizbullah leader, MP Ali Hassan Khalil and Hussein Khalil, on Sunday.
When Berri was asked about his impression on cabinet formation efforts, the speaker said: “I haven’t interfered in the details of the government formation lately.”
But well-informed sources told As Safir that Hussein Khalil and Ali Hassan Khalil informed Miqati about their rejection to announce a de facto cabinet. Such a government wouldn’t get enough political support from the Hizbullah-led March 8 sources, they reportedly said.
While the sources of the conferees ruled out the formation of a de facto government, they hinted that a new obstacle on the Sunni representation has emerged.
The possibility of giving a seat to Faisal Omar Karami has stirred a problem with Tripoli MP Ahmed Karami who considers Miqati one of his closest allies, the sources told An Nahar. They said discussions are underway for former Premier Omar Karami to name another Sunni personality with close ties to him.
Despite the obstacle, sources told the newspapers that contacts between Miqati and the March 8 forces have made progress, boosting hopes for the formation of the government “within days.”
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