Hariri to Give Decisive Answer on Cabinet Proposal as March 14 Sets Several Conditions
The March 8 alliance was waiting for the final go ahead of al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri on a cabinet proposal as the party sought answers on several questions, including the policy statement.
An Nahar daily quoted informed sources as saying on Thursday that the Hizbullah-led March 8 camp, which has accepted an 8-8-8 government formula, was waiting for Hariri's answer, whose movement is a member of the March 14 alliance.
Al-Mustaqbal MP Nuhad al-Mashnouq has said that the coalition's approval of the cabinet proposal lied on receiving clear answers to several questions.
Their questions lie on the shape of the government, the policy statement, rotation of all ministerial portfolios, and the right of President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam for veto to reject any name proposed.
But March 8 officials threw the ball in the court of Suleiman and Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat, who has played a huge mediating role.
The officials, who were not identified, told An Nahar that March 8 has given its rivals a chance to reach an agreement on the new cabinet by giving the two camps eight minsters each and centrists – Suleiman, Salam and Jumblat- another eight.
They warned that the March 8 alliance would either seek to grant greater powers to the resigned cabinet of caretaker PM Najib Miqati or call for new binding consultations by the president with parliamentary blocs to name a new premier-designate if Jumblat was unsuccessful.
But al-Joumhouria newspaper quoted sources as saying that the five conditions set by March 14 are non-negotiable and that March 8 should either accept them or Suleiman and Salam would resort to their option of forming a nonpartisan cabinet.
One of the major conditions is the adoption of the Baabda Declaration in the policy statement and giving up the army-people-resistance equation.
Such a condition is likely not to be approved by March 8.
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