Mixed Reactions on Jumblat’s Stance as FPM Asks him to Give up Cabinet Demands

The latest stance of Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat drew mixed reactions but the bluntest attack came from the Free Patriotic Movement which urged him to give up his demands in the new cabinet.

“If Walid Jumblat was so disdainful, then let him give up the public works ministry first and withdraw his unprecedented demands,” FPM circles told As Safir daily in remarks published Tuesday.

They rejected blaming the March 8 forces for the cabinet deadlock saying “blaming the new majority for the impasse is wrong and does not reflect the truth.”

On Monday, Jumblat accused March 8 of failing to form the government.

The FPM circles also stressed that the majority has the right to form a government according to its expectations because it nominated Premier-designate Najib Miqati.

They reiterated that the ball is now in the court of Miqati and President Michel Suleiman after the FPM “made concessions on the size (of the cabinet).”

Michel Aoun’s movement also made concessions on the controversial interior ministry portfolio after it expressed readiness to reach consensus on it but Suleiman rejected several proposals to solve the impasse, the circles added.

Hizbullah’s mouthpiece al-Manar, in its turn, said that Jumblat’s stance clearly absolved Miqati from the accusations of delaying the formation of the cabinet.

Furthermore, the sources of Speaker Nabih Berri told al-Anwar newspaper that the principles announced by Jumblat mean that there was no change in his stances and the issue was limited to the government.