Naharnet Newsdesk - Policy Statement Committee Accomplishes Economic Aspect

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Policy Statement Committee Accomplishes Economic Aspect

The committee tasked with drafting the cabinet policy statement finished its seventh session on Monday by accomplishing the economic aspect of the statement.
The session was held at the Grand Serail under Prime Minister Saad Hariri and the attendance of all members including Interior Minister Ziad Baroud who missed the last session.

The committee will meet again on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the priorities of the government and to accomplish the political aspect of the statement amid ongoing differences between bickering camps on the resistance article which is still facing objections from March 14 Christians.

Another session will be held on Wednesday to discuss the priorities of ministries work.

"The atmosphere was very good and we accomplished our task promptly," said Information Minister Tarek Mitri after Monday's session.

Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat said the committee is expected to adopt an article on the resistance almost similar to the previous government's ministerial statement.

However, ministerial sources told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat that March 14 representatives will seek for the adoption of a formula that does not turn them into "false witnesses."

The sources added that discussions during the committee's meetings are mainly restricted to the March 8 and 14 Christian parties whereby Change and Reform bloc representatives are defending Hizbullah while the Shiite party's representative Minister Mohammed Fneish is trying to keep dialogue calm.

Labor Minister Boutros Harb told al-Hayat: "Our ambition is to stress that all security decisions should be made by the state and its legal institutions."

"The resistance cannot be given a legal status apart from the state," according to Harb.

He said, however, that intensive contacts are being made to find "the proper formula".

President Michel Suleiman has also stressed that "there is consensus to adopt the formula of the previous cabinet over the resistance."

However, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea rejected the inclusion in the policy statement of any reference to Hizbullah's arms in defense of Lebanon.

"What's the use of any state in any nation in which it isn't the decision-maker of war and peace?" Geagea wondered.

Beirut, 23 Nov 09, 21:49


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