Salam Throws Cabinet Formation Ball in Court of Political Parties
Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam has said it was up to the rival political parties to agree on the details of the new government over their decision to negotiate on a 24-member all-embracing cabinet.
The details of the cabinet formation “were with me when I was planning to form a non partisan government,” Salam said.
“But now that discussions headed towards an all-embracing political cabinet, the ball is in the court of the political parties,” he said in remarks to An Nahar daily published on Monday.
The rivals are discussing ways to give the March 8 and 14 alliances eight ministers in addition to another eight to centrists.
Officials close to Salam told As Safir newspaper that three of the conditions set by the March 14 alliance on its participation in the national unity government have been met.
They are the form and shape of the cabinet, the rotation of all portfolios and a deal not to impose on President Michel Suleiman and Salam the name of any minister.
But the contentious issue of the policy statement and the Baabda Declaration are still under discussion by the rival parties, the officials said.
The March 8 camp is calling for the postponement of a deal on the policy statement to the aftermath of the cabinet formation. But the March 14 alliance is insisting on having the Baabda Declaration as the basis of the policy statement rather than the army-people-resistance formula as with previous governments.
The June 2012 Declaration includes a deal by rival officials to distance Lebanon from regional conflicts, particularly the war in Syria.
The March 14 camp accuses Hizbullah of violating the Declaration by sending its members to fight alongside Syrian President Bashar Assad's troops against the rebels seeking to topple him.
“It seems that both sides have decided to make concessions after receiving advice from regional and international parties,” As Safir's sources said.
“The remaining details (on the cabinet) will be discussed this week,” they added.
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