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LEBANON GOVERNMENT COLLAPSES AFTER MINISTERS' PULLOUT
Asbarez
January 12th, 2011
BEIRUT (Combined Sources)-Lebanon's coalition government collapsed
Wednesday after 11 ministers affiliated with the opposition pulled
out of the cabinet amid political tensions over a US-led tribunal
probing the 2005 assassination of Lebanese leader Rafik al-Hariri.
The move disintegrates the year-old government led by Hariri's son,
Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who was in Washington meeting with
President Obama when the walk out resulted in the collapse, which
ultimately might force his resignation.
Among the ministers that submitted resignations was industry minister
Apraham Dedeyan, who was the representative of the Lebanese-Armenian
community.
Tensions have mounted during the past several months as Lebanon awaited
the results of the UN-led and US-backed tribunal's investigation into
the Rafik Hariri assassination. In recent weeks, Saudi Arabia and Syria
have been attempting to broker a deal that would essentially force
Saad Hariri to withdraw his government's support for the tribunal in
order to maintain Lebanese and regional stability.
A delegation representing Lebanon's opposition Tuesday met with
Lebanese President Michel Suleiman urging him to convene an
extraordinary government session to adopt, with the participation
of all political forces, measures that would ensure stability in the
country. The president agreed to forge ahead by promising to contact
the prime minister and bring him to the negotiating table.
On Wednesday, the presidential office reported that Saad Hariri
had refused the opposition's proposal, saying that he would not be
pressured to take part in a government meeting at the 11th-hour and
rejected to impede the international tribunal.
Opposition forces gathered Tuesday night at a meeting, which was
attended by Reform and Progress party chairman Gen. Michel Aoun, the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation Central Committee chairman Hovig
Mkhitarian, "Marada" movement leader and parliament member Sleyman
Frenzhieh, opposition advisor Ali Hassan-Khalil and political adviser
to Hezbollah's secretary general, Hussein Khalil.
"Following our last bid to resolve matters through our call for
an immediate Cabinet session and after our call was turned down
by the other bloc and in order to pave the way for the formation
of a new government that would be able to assume its duties in the
upcoming stage, we announce our resignation from the government,"
said Lebanon's Energy Minister Gebran Bassil, who read the opposition
statement Wednesday.
"The prime minister is faced with choosing either Beirut and Washington
or Beirut and any other capital," he said, adding that the decision
to leave the government conforms to Lebanese law.
The White House issued a statement on the Hariri meeting, saying Obama
"stressed the importance of the work of the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon as a means to help end the era of political assassinations
with impunity in Lebanon."
Opposition lawmakers called on Lebanese President Michel Suleiman to
act quickly on forming a new Cabinet.
From: A. Papazian
Asbarez
January 12th, 2011
BEIRUT (Combined Sources)-Lebanon's coalition government collapsed
Wednesday after 11 ministers affiliated with the opposition pulled
out of the cabinet amid political tensions over a US-led tribunal
probing the 2005 assassination of Lebanese leader Rafik al-Hariri.
The move disintegrates the year-old government led by Hariri's son,
Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who was in Washington meeting with
President Obama when the walk out resulted in the collapse, which
ultimately might force his resignation.
Among the ministers that submitted resignations was industry minister
Apraham Dedeyan, who was the representative of the Lebanese-Armenian
community.
Tensions have mounted during the past several months as Lebanon awaited
the results of the UN-led and US-backed tribunal's investigation into
the Rafik Hariri assassination. In recent weeks, Saudi Arabia and Syria
have been attempting to broker a deal that would essentially force
Saad Hariri to withdraw his government's support for the tribunal in
order to maintain Lebanese and regional stability.
A delegation representing Lebanon's opposition Tuesday met with
Lebanese President Michel Suleiman urging him to convene an
extraordinary government session to adopt, with the participation
of all political forces, measures that would ensure stability in the
country. The president agreed to forge ahead by promising to contact
the prime minister and bring him to the negotiating table.
On Wednesday, the presidential office reported that Saad Hariri
had refused the opposition's proposal, saying that he would not be
pressured to take part in a government meeting at the 11th-hour and
rejected to impede the international tribunal.
Opposition forces gathered Tuesday night at a meeting, which was
attended by Reform and Progress party chairman Gen. Michel Aoun, the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation Central Committee chairman Hovig
Mkhitarian, "Marada" movement leader and parliament member Sleyman
Frenzhieh, opposition advisor Ali Hassan-Khalil and political adviser
to Hezbollah's secretary general, Hussein Khalil.
"Following our last bid to resolve matters through our call for
an immediate Cabinet session and after our call was turned down
by the other bloc and in order to pave the way for the formation
of a new government that would be able to assume its duties in the
upcoming stage, we announce our resignation from the government,"
said Lebanon's Energy Minister Gebran Bassil, who read the opposition
statement Wednesday.
"The prime minister is faced with choosing either Beirut and Washington
or Beirut and any other capital," he said, adding that the decision
to leave the government conforms to Lebanese law.
The White House issued a statement on the Hariri meeting, saying Obama
"stressed the importance of the work of the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon as a means to help end the era of political assassinations
with impunity in Lebanon."
Opposition lawmakers called on Lebanese President Michel Suleiman to
act quickly on forming a new Cabinet.
From: A. Papazian