Jumblat Says Nominated Salam after Rejecting Rifi: I Will Not Accept One-Sided Govt.
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat announced on Thursday his support for nominating Beirut MP Tammam Salam for premiership, stating that he will not take part in any one-sided government.
"I have picked Mr. Tammam Salam and I have contacted him,” Jumblat said in an interview on LBCI television.
He added: "He is the son of a historic, moderate family and I hope he will be positively received by everyone”.
Jumblat remarked: “I don't want to say that (al-Mustaqbal Movement head MP) Saad Hariri was dismayed when I proposed Salam, but his response was tepid, and when I contacted Hizbullah, they had the same response”.
He elaborated that he was asked by Hizbullah whether he had another candidate: “I said no, because he hails from a moderate family and he has never said a single bad word against the Resistance”.
“I'm still a centrist and when I allowed myself to name Tammam Salam, I named the historically centrist political dynasty,” Jumblat stated.
“There is an MP who maybe liked my centrist position and he might be among our ranks during consultations tomorrow and I'm not talking about (Democratic Party leader MP) Prince Talal (Arslan)”.
He revealed Hariri's pick for premiership, however, was former Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi.
"I told Hariri that Rifi is a confrontational candidate”.
MP Salam is most likely to become the head of the next cabinet, after the March 14 forces announced earlier on Thursday that they have chosen him as their nominee for premiership.
"The lawmakers of the alliance and of Jamaa Islamiya will officially inform President Michel Suleiman about their candidate during Friday's parliamentary consultations,” said al-Mustaqbal bloc head MP Fouad Saniora after a March 14 broad meeting at the Center House which was exclusively dedicated to discussing this issue.
Salam, who later joined the meeting after arriving from a trip to Riyadh where he met with ex-PM Hariri and several Saudi figures, thanked the convened figures for their nomination, hoping that this would "reflect in the best interest of Lebanon".
Several media reports have said that he will be named the head of a new government, especially in light of his visit to the KSA.
MTV reported that Hizbullah is likely to nominate Salam to the premiership “because he is a consensual and non-provocative figure".
The Development and Liberation bloc is also expected to endorse his candidacy, it added.
Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun is expected to reveal his stance on this matter on Friday after the Change and Reform bloc's meeting, LBCI television said.
Binding parliamentary consultations to name a new premier are scheduled to be held on Friday and Saturday with President Suleiman at the Baabda Palace.
Jumblat pointed out that he will not endorse or participate in any one-sided cabinet.
"I will only grant my vote of confidence to a government formed by all parties,” he confirmed.
He explained: “Since there is no international sponsor and since we can't await the outcome of the Syrian crisis, is it so hard to form a national unity cabinet? This cabinet would start its work with addressing the issues of Khandaq al-Ghamiq, al-Asir and Jabal Mohsen and Bab al-Tabbaneh”.
The PSP leader called for managing differences inside the cabinet until the end of the Syrian crisis.
Regarding the ministerial Policy Statement, Jumblat said it is to be decided by the ministers participating in the national unity cabinet.
Jumblat warned against any move against Hizbullah's weapons: “My words were clear during my meeting with Prince Bandar that whatever the outcome of the Syrian revolution might be, let no one think of any negative move against Hizbullah”.
“I will not accept to condemn the party and I don't approve of (U.S. President Barack) Obama's description,” he stressed.
“In the heart of Saudi Arabia, I said we want dialogue with Hizbullah in Lebanon and I call on Hariri to engage in dialogue, organize the differences and implement the self-dissociation policy, which is the best slogan, and I hope Salam will follow suit as we await the grand settlement”.
Source: Naharnet
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