Aoun: Process of Government Formation Has Not Reached an Advanced Stage

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun renewed on Tuesday his refusal to grant President Michel Suleiman a Cabinet portfolio, saying: “If he were with us, then there’s no need to grant him a portfolio.”

The MP asked after the movement’s weekly meeting: “Should we withdraw from rule so that he is granted portfolios? Who came up with this rule and when?”

“Some developments revealed that Suleiman is not a consensual president,” he noted.

Addressing the government formation, Aoun stated: “Representation in Cabinet will be based on proportionality.”

“Once they determine the number of ministers, they should set the size of representation of the parliamentary blocs, later they should distribute the portfolios, and determine the ministers at the end. No one should speak to the press before any of the names are set,” he continued.

“When we spoke of a blocking minority, we were granted less than half and even less than two thirds of the ministers. The rights will be restored to those who support the government,” the MP noted.

Aoun stressed: “I reject any country or individual telling me that I will not be granted a specific portfolio. Whoever says that the interior ministry portfolio is not mine should explain the reasons why. If we have a right to it, then we will take it.”

Regarding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, he remarked: “We can’t discuss the elimination of the cooperation protocol with the STL as a government has not yet been established. Its policy will be determined once it’s formed and once its ministerial statement is devised.”

“We have not yet reached advanced stages of the government formation. The number of ministers has not even been set,” he revealed.