Bassil and Khalil in New Confrontation

A new political confrontation has erupted between Free Patriotic Movement chief and caretaker Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil and caretaker Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil -- the political aide of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

The row broke out after Bassil appointed honorary consuls without asking Khalil to sign the decree, sources close to Berri and Hizbullah told Kuwait's al-Rai newspaper in remarks published Sunday.

The decree “also disregarded an essential component in terms of the Shiite names it included,” the sources added.

The sources revealed that Khalil is preparing a letter that will be sent to the embassies of the countries to which the consuls were allocated.

The letter will warn these countries that “there is a constitutional dispute over the decree and that it is marred by numerous flaws,” the sources added.

“He will call on them not to accept the appointment of the consuls,” the sources went on to say.

Bassil and Khalil had recently clashed over a decree promoting a number of army officers.