Naharnet

Reports: Bassil's Stance Further Complicates 'Sunni Obstacle'

A stance voiced Monday by Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Jebran Bassil after his meeting with March 8’s Sunni MPs has further complicated the so-called Sunni representation obstacle instead of easing it, media reports said.

“It is clear that the independent Sunnis obstacle is aggravating and a settlement seems to be distant,” al-Akhbar newspaper reported.

“Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri is still insisting on his rejection to represent them from his share and Minister Jebran Bassil, whom the President has tasked with the negotiations, has created a new dilemma in the cabinet formation deadlock, returning the ball to the PM-designate’s court,” the daily added.

“Bassil has reiterated his stance that rejects the calls for naming a March 8 Sunni minister from President Michel Aoun’s share,” al-Akhbar said.

Bassil had announced Monday that Aoun is willing to give up the Maronite-Sunni seat swap with Hariri in order to give the PM-designate an additional Sunni seat and leave the sixth Sunni minister to the pro-Hizbullah MPs or a consensus candidate.

The government was on the verge of formation on October 29 after the Lebanese Forces accepted the portfolios that were assigned to it but a last-minute hurdle over the representation of pro-Hizbullah Sunni MPs surfaced.

Hizbullah has insisted that the six Sunni MPs should be given a seat in the government, refraining from providing Hariri with the names of its three Shiite ministers in a bid to press him.


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