March 8 Refutes Claims of Deadlock, Says Portfolio Distribution Nearly Settled

High-ranking March 8 sources refuted claims that the cabinet formation process has gone back to the starting point over crippling demands by the new parliamentary majority.

The sources told An Nahar newspaper in remarks published Saturday that the media and political sources began inventing rumors about an alleged stalemate despite agreement between President Michel Suleiman and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun on the name of the interior minister.

The distribution of major portfolios is almost settled, the sources claimed. The Sunni sect has kept the finance and education portfolios while the Shiites kept the foreign, health and agriculture ministries.

The defense ministry was granted to MP Suleiman Franjieh while the telecommunications and energy ministries were part of Aoun’s share in the cabinet. The public works ministry was also kept as part of Jumblat’s share.

The sources told An Nahar that unlike the media reports, the March 8 forces were helping in the formation of the cabinet rather than obstructing it. “Hadn’t they had the willingness to (find) a solution, Aoun wouldn’t have suggested a name so that Suleiman approves it.”

They were referring to the suggestion by Aoun that retired Internal Security Forces Maj. Gen. Marwan Charbel leads the interior ministry.

“The interior ministry (deadlock) was solved. We still don’t know what are the reasons that are preventing the formation” of the cabinet, they added.