Sleiman to launch consultations for PM |
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12 September 2009
BEIRUT: President Michel Sleiman called on Friday for another round of parliamentary consultations to nominate a new premier following Saad Hariri’s resignation from his post as premier-designate. The presidency’s press office issued a statement saying that the president would conduct on September 15 and 16, in accordance with the Constitution, binding consultations with parliamentary bloc to nominate a new premier.
According to the statement, Sleiman would meet on Tuesday with the Liberation and Development, the Future Movement, the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), the Loyalty to the Resistance, Lebanese Forces, “Zahle in the Heart” and Phalange Party blocs.
Meanwhile, Hariri slammed the opposition on Friday for obstructing the cabinet’s formation, adding that he stepped down as premier-designate in defense of the Constitution.
During an iftar in Downtown Beirut, Hariri said that despite many compromises by the majority to facilitate the formation of a cabinet, the opposition still obstructed the process.
“We gave up a two-thirds or an absolute majority as well as most of the service portfolios but the opposition’s response was to impose conditions on the president and the premier-designate,” Hariri said.
The Future Movement leader added that he resigned in defense of the Constitution since he rejected its false interpretation which consequently renders the president and the premier-designate a “mail box.”
“I stepped down in accordance with constitutional norms and in defense of the president and Lebanon’s democratic regime rather than religious faction or individual,” Hariri said.
Hariri stepped down as prime minister-designate on Thursday, accusing the opposition of hampering his efforts to form a government.
Hariri also stressed later during an iftar that he “would reveal matters in a manner that leaves no room for doubt” ahead of the upcoming binding parliamentary consultations to nominate a new premier.
Meanwhile, Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader MP Walid Jumblatt stressed that he would not take part in a majority cabinet while he emphasized that the 15-10-5 cabinet formula remained valid.
The formula that had been agreed by both the majority and opposition during previous rounds of negotiations grants the majority 15 ministers, the opposition 10 and the president five seats; the formula denies both the majority and the minority respectively an absolute majority or veto power while guaranteeing Sleiman the tipping vote.
“Only a cabinet of partnership would safeguard Lebanon from threats, particularly Israeli ones,” Jumblatt said.
“Some American and Arab parties did not want a Syrian-Saudi understanding,” the PSP leader said, adding that “such an understanding would preserve Lebanon’s civil peace as well as the Taif Accord.”
While Jumblatt has moved to a more centrist position lately, some March 14 figures have been urging Hariri to form a majority cabinet.
Similarly, on the opposition side, a source close to Parliament Speaker and Amal Movement leader Nabih Berri told The Daily Star on Friday that opposition groups were so far still committed to the 15-10-5 structure until further notice.
Jumblatt added that the majority would nominate Hariri again as premier-designate.
Hariri is expected to be re-appointed as premier-designate since figures of the opposition and the majority voiced support for his nomination.
Berri of the opposition said earlier this week that his Development and Liberation bloc would only nominate Hariri, while caretaker Premier Fouad Siniora, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and the Phalange Party voiced support Thursday for Hariri’s reappointment.
However, Future Movement MP Ammar Houri told The Daily Star on Friday that no decision has been made yet with regard to Hariri’s re-appointment.
“The issue is being considered first by Hariri himself, then the Future Movement bloc and the majority forces,” Houri said.
When asked about the continued validity of the 15-10-5 cabinet make-up, Houri said “it is up to the new premier-designate to decide upon the cabinet’s structure.”
Meanwhile, Siniora warned during an iftar on Friday against the introduction of new conventions to the Taif Accord and the Constitution as “it would open the doors wide for unnecessary amendments,” a reference to the debate over the premier-designate constitutional powers.
Siniora called for the premier-designate to deliberate with political parties prior to the cabinet’s formation but the consultations are not binding.
Future Movement and FPM officials have been arguing lately over the constitutional powers of the premier-designate with regard to the cabinet formation.
Hariri had reiterated on several occasions his alliance’s opposition to the nomination of candidates who lost in the elections and insisted on the principle of rotating ministerial portfolios among political parties.
FPM leader MP Michel Aoun insists that caretaker Telecomunications Minister Jebran Bassil, his son-in-law, be reappointed for a second term at the ministry.
Bassil, who ran for one of two seats in his hometown of Batroun, lost to March 14 MPs.
Aoun said Friday following his return from Europe that “Hariri has been wasting time as requested by foreign powers.”
Meanwhile, FPM MP Ibrahim Kanaan said on Friday that his party would not nominate Hariri as premier as they did not in the first round of parliamentary consultations.
Kanaan also stressed the presidency’s role, adding that the FPM rejected the president’s marginalization.
“The president prerogatives state that he cooperates and agrees with the premier-designate in order to form a cabinet so the presidency’s position should be respected,” Kanaan said, adding that “we do not ignore Saad Hariri and he cannot ignore us.”
According to the Constitution, the cabinet’s formation decree is signed by the president and the premier-designate.
FPM ally Hizbullah’s number two Sheikh Naim Qassem stressed that the new appointed prime minister-designate would confront the same obstacles that faced Future Movement leader Saad Hariri whether the later is re-designated or not.
“Given the country’s sectarian based regime, it can only be governed through consensus which necessitated mutual compromises and cooperation by all parties,” Qassem added.
Qassem underlined the need to from a national-unity cabinet based on an accord throughout all the steps of the formation process starting with the distribution of ministerial portfolios and the nomination of candidates, adding that opposition groups were united in their stance.
Qassem slammed “loud” political rhetoric by some leaders who become prisoners of their own statements that do not serve Lebanon’s interests, a reference to calls by some March 14 figures to form a majority cabinet.
“The government is not a gift to anyone or to the [June 7] election outcome but rather to those who succeed in managing the country based on a national-unity government,” Qassem said.
Separately and following a meeting earlier on Friday with Hariri, United Nations special coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams expressed the UN’s regret for the failure of the Lebanese political sides to reach an agreement on the formation of a new government.
“We now return to the beginning of the process and the designation of a prime minister by President Sleiman; I regret that the efforts of parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri were not successful,” Williams said.
However, the special coordinator added that the UN strongly believed that a solution could be achieved.
“We hope that the consultations which the president of the republic, General Sleiman, will resume with the different parliamentary blocs will be successful in placing the process of government formation back on track,” Williams said.
Williams added that he had agreed with Sleiman on Wednesday that dialogue must be maintained to keep Lebanon away from days of polarization and crisis
“If the Lebanese remain committed to the objective of a national unity government and work towards this goal, I believe it will be achieved,” Williams added.
© Copyright The Daily Star 2009.
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