March 14 Boycotts Joint Parliamentary Committees, Halt Official Meetings until Cabinet Resigns
The March 14 alliance is pressing forward with its decision to topple the cabinet as it will boycott any official activity, including the parliament, An Nahar newspaper reported on Tuesday.
Lawmakers affiliated with the March 14 parliamentary blocs boycotted Tuesday's joint parliamentary committees meeting, which is set to tackle the new electoral draft law.
Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) reported later that deputy Speaker Farid Makari didn't arrive at the parliament to head the joint parliamentary committees meeting.
Sources close to the alliance told the newspaper that it insists on the resignation of the government before going into any discussion with the March 8 camp.
The sources pointed out that the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Miqati and his cabinet gives the political foes an opportunity to form a “national cabinet” that is capable of managing the affairs of citizens and organizing the upcoming 2013 parliamentary election.
They noted that the March 14 alliance is contacting foreign countries “to clear its stance and not to consult with them.”
Head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc MP Fouad Saniora held a meeting on Tuesday with President Michel Suleiman to inform him that the alliance will not resume the national dialogue and will not discuss any political matter before the government submits its resignation.
On Sunday, Suleiman held talks with Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel to persuade him to resume the national dialogue.
The last all-party talks was held on September 20 at the Baabda Palace and the next session is set for November 12.
Clashes broke out on Sunday after the funeral of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan between mourners, mainly March 14 supporters, and the security forces near the Grand Serail.
Police fired in the air and used tear gas to drive back protesters who tried to storm Miqati's office.
Opposition figures have called for Miqati to resign and his government, which is dominated by pro-Syria parties, to step down.
The opposition has blamed Syrian President Bashar Assad for Friday's car bomb blast, which killed Hasan and several other people in the Ashrafiyeh neighborhood in Beirut.
They also hold Assad responsible for the 2005 assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri, who was killed in a huge blast in Beirut.
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