March 8: Suleiman Has No Excuse to Reject Latest Hizbullah Proposal

The March 8 forces threw the ball in President Michel Suleiman’s court after Hizbullah mediated to solve the interior ministry portfolio deadlock by proposing several new names that could head the ministry.

March 8 sources told An Nahar daily in remarks published Wednesday that “Suleiman has no excuse to reject it (the new proposal) and the ball is now in the court of the president.”

The proposal was made on Tuesday by the aides of the speaker and the Hizbullah leader respectively MP Ali Hassan Khalil and Hussein Khalil to Premier-designate Najib Miqati following their return from Damascus.

Miqati, in his turn, took the proposal to Suleiman who reportedly delayed his answer on it until Wednesday.

But the premier-designate visited Baabda on Wednesday and left the palace without making any statement.

As Safir newspaper said that Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, who has been at loggerheads with the president over the portfolio, dealt positively with the new names.

According to al-Akhbar daily, Miqati suggested three names to Suleiman. They include military, civilian and judicial personalities. The person who will be selected to lead the interior ministry is expected to be at the same distance from both the FPM chief and Suleiman.

Miqati has also reportedly agreed to give Aoun both the energy and telecommunications portfolios in a 30-member cabinet divided as follows: 11 ministers as part of the shares of Suleiman, Miqati and Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat, 10 for Aoun and 9 for Berri and his ally Hizbullah.

The FPM leader, however, has agreed to give up the energy portfolio in favor of Berri in return for getting the health ministry, said al-Liwaa daily.