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AOUN'S PORTFOLIO DEMANDS COMPLICATE CABINET FORMATION
By Elias Sakr
Daily Star
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Lebanon
FPM leader insists on Interior ministry, bassil reappointment
BEIRUT: Efforts to form a national-unity cabinet stumbled on Monday
after Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun set controversial
conditions with regard to the distribution of ministerial portfolios
and the nomination of candidates. In a swift response, Prime
Minister-designate Saad Hariri's press office issued a statement which
underscored that the formation of a cabinet was, "according to the
Constitution, the premier-designate's responsibility in cooperation
with President Michel Sleiman."
Several March 14 officials had repeatedly said over the week­end that
Hariri was "not a mail box," a reference to Aoun's demands from the
premier-designate.
Aoun demanded on Monday that his Reform and Change bloc be allotted
the Interior Ministry and that caretaker minister, his son-in-law
Gebran Bassil, keeps the Telecommunication Ministry for another term.
The statement issued by Hariri's press office Monday said the
premier-designate would pursue his efforts to form a national-unity
cabinet based on the outcome of the June 7 polls and away from media
spotlights.
"The premier-designate is conducting deliberations based on the outcome
of the June 7 polls which resulted in a parliamentary majority that,
in turn, along with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri's bloc and [the
Armenian] Tashnag Party nominated Hariri to form a government,"
the statement said.
As for the distribution of portfolios, the statement highlighted the
right of political parties to come forward with their demands while
underscoring that the formation process according to the constitution
was the responsibility of the premier-designate in cooperation with
the president.
Hariri also expressed his determination to maintain the country's
calm atmosphere in order to preserve the successful touristic season
which benefits Lebanon's economy and the citizens' interests.
"No one has the right to obstruct Lebanon's touristic success with
controversial political rhetoric only aimed to poison the country's
atmosphere and the Lebanese people interests," Hariri said.
Part of his deliberations on the distributions of portfolios, Hariri
is expected to meet Hizbullah's Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah
later this week, parliamentary sources told the Central News Agency
(CNA) on Monday.
The CNA also reported a possible meeting between Free Patriotic
Movement leader MP Michel Aoun and Hariri following an invitation by
the Latter on Monday.
Meanwhile, Aoun, who said he had not decided on whether to meet Hariri
yet, tied the formation of a new cabinet to two conditions, including
the reassignment of Bassil at the head of the Telecommunications
Ministry, and granting the FPM a "sovereign" portfolio.
Portfolios considered as directly linked to the country's sovereignty
include the Interior Ministry, the Foreign Ministry, the Defense
Ministry and the Finance Ministry.
Tackling the delay in the cabinet's formation, Aoun told reporters
at his residence in Rabieh that the process was hindered by foreign
intervention rather than the appointment of Bassil.
"The government crisis was not due to [the nomination of] Jebran but
[the problem is] foreign," Aoun said.
He praised Bassil's performance at the Telecomunication Ministry,
saying the latter raised the ministry's income to $500 million and
dismantled illegitimate communication cells.
The March 14 Forces had repeatedly rejected to allot Bassil a
ministerial portfolio since he lost the race to parliament during
the June 7 parliamentary elections.
Bassil ran for one of two seats in his northern home town of Batroun
when he lost the race to independent MP Boutros Harb and Lebanese
Forces MP Antoine Zahra.
Aoun who refrained from criticizing caretaker Interior Minister Ziyad
Baroud, demanded that his bloc be allotted the Interior Ministry to
"to enhance its performance and free it of corruption." "Baroud is
like Bassil but I do not want him targeted," he said.
Aoun also called for awarding the president more constitutional rights
rather than granting him a share in the government.
He also announced that the March 14 coalition lost the parliamentary
majority following Progressive Socialist Party head Walid Jumblatt's
withdrawal from the alliance.
"Jumblatt blew the 15-10-5 formula, no one holds a majority and now
we moved to the 12-10-5-3 make-up," a reference to Jumblatt's share
of three seats, Aoun said.
The 15-10-5 formula grants the majority 15, the opposition 10 and
the president five seats.
Nevertheless, Jumblatt on Monday reiterated support for the 15-10-5
structure, adding that it guaranteed political consensus and
represented the voters will.
By Elias Sakr
Daily Star
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Lebanon
FPM leader insists on Interior ministry, bassil reappointment
BEIRUT: Efforts to form a national-unity cabinet stumbled on Monday
after Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun set controversial
conditions with regard to the distribution of ministerial portfolios
and the nomination of candidates. In a swift response, Prime
Minister-designate Saad Hariri's press office issued a statement which
underscored that the formation of a cabinet was, "according to the
Constitution, the premier-designate's responsibility in cooperation
with President Michel Sleiman."
Several March 14 officials had repeatedly said over the week­end that
Hariri was "not a mail box," a reference to Aoun's demands from the
premier-designate.
Aoun demanded on Monday that his Reform and Change bloc be allotted
the Interior Ministry and that caretaker minister, his son-in-law
Gebran Bassil, keeps the Telecommunication Ministry for another term.
The statement issued by Hariri's press office Monday said the
premier-designate would pursue his efforts to form a national-unity
cabinet based on the outcome of the June 7 polls and away from media
spotlights.
"The premier-designate is conducting deliberations based on the outcome
of the June 7 polls which resulted in a parliamentary majority that,
in turn, along with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri's bloc and [the
Armenian] Tashnag Party nominated Hariri to form a government,"
the statement said.
As for the distribution of portfolios, the statement highlighted the
right of political parties to come forward with their demands while
underscoring that the formation process according to the constitution
was the responsibility of the premier-designate in cooperation with
the president.
Hariri also expressed his determination to maintain the country's
calm atmosphere in order to preserve the successful touristic season
which benefits Lebanon's economy and the citizens' interests.
"No one has the right to obstruct Lebanon's touristic success with
controversial political rhetoric only aimed to poison the country's
atmosphere and the Lebanese people interests," Hariri said.
Part of his deliberations on the distributions of portfolios, Hariri
is expected to meet Hizbullah's Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah
later this week, parliamentary sources told the Central News Agency
(CNA) on Monday.
The CNA also reported a possible meeting between Free Patriotic
Movement leader MP Michel Aoun and Hariri following an invitation by
the Latter on Monday.
Meanwhile, Aoun, who said he had not decided on whether to meet Hariri
yet, tied the formation of a new cabinet to two conditions, including
the reassignment of Bassil at the head of the Telecommunications
Ministry, and granting the FPM a "sovereign" portfolio.
Portfolios considered as directly linked to the country's sovereignty
include the Interior Ministry, the Foreign Ministry, the Defense
Ministry and the Finance Ministry.
Tackling the delay in the cabinet's formation, Aoun told reporters
at his residence in Rabieh that the process was hindered by foreign
intervention rather than the appointment of Bassil.
"The government crisis was not due to [the nomination of] Jebran but
[the problem is] foreign," Aoun said.
He praised Bassil's performance at the Telecomunication Ministry,
saying the latter raised the ministry's income to $500 million and
dismantled illegitimate communication cells.
The March 14 Forces had repeatedly rejected to allot Bassil a
ministerial portfolio since he lost the race to parliament during
the June 7 parliamentary elections.
Bassil ran for one of two seats in his northern home town of Batroun
when he lost the race to independent MP Boutros Harb and Lebanese
Forces MP Antoine Zahra.
Aoun who refrained from criticizing caretaker Interior Minister Ziyad
Baroud, demanded that his bloc be allotted the Interior Ministry to
"to enhance its performance and free it of corruption." "Baroud is
like Bassil but I do not want him targeted," he said.
Aoun also called for awarding the president more constitutional rights
rather than granting him a share in the government.
He also announced that the March 14 coalition lost the parliamentary
majority following Progressive Socialist Party head Walid Jumblatt's
withdrawal from the alliance.
"Jumblatt blew the 15-10-5 formula, no one holds a majority and now
we moved to the 12-10-5-3 make-up," a reference to Jumblatt's share
of three seats, Aoun said.
The 15-10-5 formula grants the majority 15, the opposition 10 and
the president five seats.
Nevertheless, Jumblatt on Monday reiterated support for the 15-10-5
structure, adding that it guaranteed political consensus and
represented the voters will.