Government Crisis Shows No Sign of Abating

Sources close to Premier Saad Hariri ruled out a possibility to hold a cabinet session before New Year after Speaker Nabih Berri reiterated that the government should have the final say on the issue of false witnesses in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's murder case, al-Liwaa daily reported Tuesday.

The newspaper said that President Michel Suleiman, Berri and Hariri discussed the possibility of holding a cabinet session between Christmas and New Year on the sidelines of a Christmas concert at Baabda palace on Sunday.

However, Berri remained adamant on the necessity to take a final decision on false witnesses through consensus or voting, al-Liwaa reported.

Given the speaker's insistence, sources close to Hariri expressed pessimism about the possibility of holding a session soon.

Political sources told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat that the government crisis, which erupted after March 8 ministers refused to attend sessions unless the cabinet takes a decision on false witnesses, would not be solved until the Saudi-Syrian initiative succeeds.