Report: Govt. Based on Suleiman, Salam's Views Likely to Be Formed in September
No breakthroughs are expected to take place over the formation of a new government until the return of President Michel Suleiman from a personal vacation abroad, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Thursday.
It said that the government is therefore likely to be formed in September “according to Suleiman and Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam's convictions.”
Suleiman is set to travel on Sunday to Saudi Arabia on a brief visit before kicking off his vacation.
He is expected to return to Lebanon on August 28.
Should the president and premier-designate commit to their announced stances, then a political neutral cabinet is likely to be formed, reported al-Joumhouria.
The proposed government will be subject to a vote of confidence at parliament and should it be rejected, then a new round of parliamentary consultations will begin, “which is better than the current deadlock”, it explained.
Salam had held talks with Suleiman on Wednesday on the government formation efforts.
He stressed that he is still committed to forming a cabinet of national interests.
Salam is seeking the formation of a 24-member cabinet in which the March 8, March 14 and the centrists camps would each get eight ministers.
The March 8 camp has meanwhile been demanding that it be granted veto power in a new cabinet, which the premier-designate has repeatedly rejected.
The March 14 camp is calling for keeping Hizbullah away from the cabinet over its role in Syria's war.
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