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Hamadeh Urges Suleiman and Miqati to ‘Liberate Themselves’ from Cheap Political Blackmail

MP Marwan Hamadeh called on President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati to “liberate themselves from the cheap blackmail” that is forcing them to form a weak government that would be a failure on the Lebanese, Arab, and international scenes.

He said in a statement from parliament on Tuesday: “The silence of four months can no longer be maintained over the coup against the prime minister … as representatives of the popular majority that still stands on the Lebanese scene, we should make a few points clear before the collapse of the last of the constitutional institutions.”

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Suleiman: Bin Laden’s Killing Should Pave Way to Pressuring Israel to Reach Middle East Peace

President Michel Suleiman hoped on Tuesday that al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden’s death would help pave the way for comprehensive peace in the Middle East.

He hoped that Israel would be pressured to this end and in order to settle the Palestinian crisis.

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WikiLeaks: Aoun Slammed ‘Mercenaries,’ Said Syrian Regime Collapse ‘Inevitable’

Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun has described several parties in Lebanon as corrupt “mercenaries” who are after power and have no credibility.

Aoun said in a WikiLeaks cable from Paris dated May 4, 2005 that his only ambition behind his return to Lebanon from a 15-year banishment to France was to bring back democracy to the country.

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WikiLeaks: Jumblat Said Suleiman is ‘Weak,” while Berri is a ‘Liar’

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has reportedly described President Michel Suleiman as a “weak personality surrounded by supporters of the Syrian regime.”

In a WikiLeaks cable dated September 17, 2008 and published by al-Joumhouria newspaper, the Druze leader also described Speaker Nabih Berri as a “big liar.”

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WikiLeaks: Miqati Says Hizbullah is 'Cancerous' ... PM-designate's Office Responds

Premier-designate Najib Miqati has reportedly described Hizbullah as "cancerous" calling for ending the statelet that the party has built to allegedly safeguard Lebanon.

In a WikiLeaks cable published by al-Joumhouria daily on Tuesday, Miqati told former U.S. ambassador Michele Sison that Hizbullah is a "cancerous tumor" and called for removing its statelet whether it was "malignant or benign."

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Report: Indictment to be Issued in May

The indictment in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s assassination case could be issued by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon this month, political sources told An Nahar daily.

The sources said in remarks published Tuesday that the issue could further complicate the government formation process.

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Tumult Over Failure to Agree on Proposals to Solve Interior Ministry Deadlock

Premier-designate Najib Miqati was on Tuesday mulling to form a de facto government after President Michel Suleiman and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun continued to hold onto their demands for the interior ministry portfolio as part of their shares in the new cabinet.

Aoun’s accusations against Suleiman and Miqati on Monday for being responsible behind the delay in the formation of the cabinet further complicated the process.

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Berri ‘Disgusted’ Over Cabinet Deadlock, Vows to Fight Building Violations

Speaker Nabih Berri said Tuesday he was “disgusted” by the delay in the formation of the government adding that he made everything possible to solve the deadlock.

In remarks to As Safir daily, Berri lamented that the government formation efforts reached a standstill over bickering between the parties involved in the process.

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Aoun: Miqati Demands Impeding Govt Formation, Anti-Syria Int’l Alignment Resembles July War’s

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Monday blamed President Michel Suleiman and premier-designate Najib Miqati for the delay in forming the new cabinet.

In an interview with Hizbullah’s mouthpiece Al-Manar television, Aoun said parliamentary blocs have no “unreasonable” demands, noting that “the PM-designate’s demands are complicating the cabinet formation process, not the blocs’ demands.”

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Jumblat on Govt Formation: Demands of Some Parties Have Become Absurd

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat has noted that the demands of some parties concerning shares in the new cabinet “have become absurd and are apt to protract the vicious state of procrastination the country is going through, amid the growing political, financial, economic and social challenges.”

In his weekly column in his party’s mouthpiece Al-Anbaa newspaper to be published Tuesday, Jumblat described the illegal construction of houses on public property as “an infringement of the State, its image and its role,” stressing that “it cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.”

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