Miqati Meets with Former Premiers over Higher Islamic Council Dispute

Prime Minister Najib Miqati headed on Friday a meeting for previous premiers to brief them on the results of the discussions with Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani to resolve the dispute over the elections of the Higher Islamic Council.

The meeting was held in presence of former PMs Fouad Saniora and Salim al-Hoss in the absence of former PM Omar Karami.

“We are still discussing the matter to reach a solution. I hope we don't reach a dead end,” Miqati told reporters after the meeting.

He pointed out that a meeting set to be held on Saturday for the members of the Higher Islamic Council might be postponed to give a chance for further discussions.

Asked about reports saying that Qabbani could be removed from his post, Miqati said that the matter isn't “being discussed currently.”

He stated that Saniora had a “positive stance” during the meeting and demanded further time to resolve the dispute.

The premier held after the meeting a telephone conversation with Karami and Qabbani to brief them on the meeting.

Al-Liwaa newspaper reported earlier that the meeting between Miqati and previous premiers was set to be held on Monday but it was postponed due to ex-PM Fouad Saniora's presence abroad.

An informed source told the newspaper that Friday's meeting is aimed at bridging the gap and resolving the dispute between Qabbani and the members of the Higher Islamic Council.

The Council elects the mufti and organizes the affairs of Dar al-Fatwa.

The report said that the meeting's agenda includes setting a date for electing a new Higher Islamic Council.

A sharp rift emerged after Qabbani called last month for electing new council members in February after he declared that the three-year term of the Council had ended.

The mufti had earlier canceled the elections that he had called for on December 31 to allow Dar al-Fatwa, which is Lebanon’s top Sunni religious authority, to issue a list of eligible voters for the 32-member Council.

His move came after the Shura Council suspended the polls over a challenge filed against Qabbani by 21 Higher Islamic Council members, who are close to ex-Premier Saad Hariri's al-Mustaqbal Movement.

They described the elections as illegal over Qabbani's failure to consult them before making his call.

Qabbani's ties with al-Mustaqbal deteriorated last year when he met with a delegation from Hizbullah the same day the Special Tribunal for Lebanon indicted four party members in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's Feb. 2005 assassination.

Relations between the two sides were also shaken when the mufti met with Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdul Karim Ali, whom al-Mustaqbal and the March 14 opposition alliance have on several occasions said should be expelled.