Report: Major Powers Press Forward Resignation of Miqati, Formation of New Cabinet
The ambassadors of major powers stressed to Prime Minister Najib Miqati the importance of swiftly resolving the political crisis in Lebanon, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Wednesday.
According to the newspaper, the ambassadors reiterated to Miqati before his visit to France the importance of “pressing forward the cabinet change.”
Miqati headed to France on November 19 on a three-day official visit during which he held talks with President Francois Hollande and several other officials among them French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and the president of the National Assembly, Claude Bartolone.
“The peaceful opposition carried out by the March 14 alliance shouldn't give him (Miqati) the impression that his cabinet is not demanded to step down,” al-Joumhouria quoted sources as saying.
The daily said the ambassadors informed the premier that a transitional government would safeguard the country from any security breaches and pave the way for reaching consensus over a new electoral law for the upcoming 2013 parliamentary elections.
The rival political parties have yet to agree on a new electoral law based on proportional representation or amend the 1960 law that is based on a winner-takes-all system.
Sharp differences surfaced recently between the opposition and the March 8 alliance after the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau chief Brig. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan in October.
The March 14 coalition accuses the Syrian regime of being behind the murder and blames Miqati's cabinet for covering the crime, prompting it to boycott its political activity until the resignation of the government.
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