'Independent Sunnis' Meet Berri, Nasrallah Aide, Insist on Govt. Seat
The so-called independent Sunni MPs held talks Tuesday with Speaker Nabih Berri and Hizbullah secretary-general's aide Hussein Khalil, as they maintained their insistence on getting a seat in the new government.
“We thank Hizbullah and (its leader) Sayyed (Hassan) Nasrallah for supporting our demand and we're optimistic that everyone will exert quick efforts to resolve the obstacles and form the government as soon as possible,” Karami said after the meeting.
“We are elected MPs representing our districts and we're not part of anyone's share but there is no problem in visiting the Baabda Palace for consultations,” the MP answered when asked whether they were trying to pressure Aoun to give them a seat from his share.
Khalil for his part described the MPs' demand as “legitimate.”
“They are not encroaching on anyone's share and we will stand by them,” the Hizbullah official added.
Asked whether Hizbullah wants Hariri to step down, Khalil said his party is not considering such a scenario, noting that “the so-called obstacle of representing independent Sunnis is not bigger than the other obstacles.”
MTV had earlier reported that "Khalil, on behalf of Hizbullah, will tell the independent Sunni MPs when he meets them in Haret Hreik that the government won't be formed without them."
Speaking after a meeting with Berri earlier in the day in Ain el-Tineh, the MPs said the Speaker “stressed that that the independent Sunni MPs should be represented in the government.”
“Al-Mustaqbal Movement wants to eliminate others, thinking that no one else represents Sunnis,” a spokesman for the MPs said.
“We emphasized our right to get a ministerial seat for one of the independent Sunnis according to the results of the parliamentary elections and so that a national unity government can be formed,” he added.
The so-called Sunni hurdle is the last obstacle delaying the formation of the government after a standoff over Christian and Druze seats was resolved.
Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri has meanwhile announced that he'd rather step down than give independent Sunni MPs a seat from his own ministerial share.
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