Nasrallah's Latest Stances, FPM 'Interests' Expected to Cool Tensions Threatening Cabinet
The cabinet is not facing the threat of collapse despite the disagreements over military appointments, a media report said on Monday, citing the Free Patriotic Movement's “interests” in Prime Minister Tammam Salam's cabinet and the latest stances of Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
“The issue of military appointments will not be discussed during Thursday's ordinary cabinet sessions,” An Nahar newspaper reported.
In remarks to the daily, ministerial sources ruled out “the occurrence of tensions that might jeopardize the fate of the cabinet,” citing “the FPM's interests in the cabinet” and “Nasrallah's call for activating the work of the government.”
The sources also noted that the attention of the political forces is focused on the regional developments, especially “the two-day meeting that will be held this week in Geneva between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, seeing as the issue of Lebanon will be raised during the talks out of keenness to prevent the spread of terrorism to this country.”
The FPM has recently threatened to boycott the cabinet session in connection with the thorny issue of military appointments.
Nasrallah has meanwhile called for activating the cabinet's work and hinted that Hizbullah would accept the re-designation of al-Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri as prime minister in return for the election of FPM founder MP Michel Aoun as president and the re-election of Speaker Nabih Berri as head of parliament.
Last week, Defense Minister Samir Moqbel postponed the retirement of Higher Defense Council chief Maj. Gen. Mohammed Kheir after no consensus was reached over three candidates that he had proposed. The FPM fears that the extension of Kheir's term could pave the way for extending the tenure of Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/215176 |