Mrad Says March 8 MPs Mulling 'Druze Solution' to 'Sunni Hurdle'
A solution similar to the one that was reached to resolve the row over Druze representation might be reached to overcome the Sunni representation hurdle that is delaying the formation of the new government, MP Abdul Rahim Mrad said.
In remarks to al-Liwaa newspaper, Mrad described Monday’s meeting between Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Jebran Bassil and the MPs of the Consultative Sunni Gathering as “very positive.”
“He said three parties should offer concessions: the President, the PM-designate and the six (pro-Hizbullah Sunni) MPs,” Mrad added.
“As for President (Michel) Aoun, he is willing to give up his Sunni seat and make it part of the Sunni quota in the cabinet in return for replacing it with a second Maronite minister. Our concession would be to name a figure not belonging to the Gathering that would be accepted by all parties, and what remains would be the PM-designate’s acceptance of this solution,” the lawmaker explained.
Mrad added that Bassil “promised to put PM-designate Hariri in the picture of the meeting with the members of the Gathering, in order to pave the way for arranging a meeting between them and Hariri to discuss the issue and reach a solution.”
“But before this, we will hold consultations among us to discuss the proposed solution, which is in the vein of the solution that was reached for the Druze obstacle. We would then request a meeting with the PM-designate to explore his stance and we hope he will be responsive,” Mrad went on to say.
Asked whether the members of the Gathering have already approved of this solution, Mrad said: “We have neither approved nor rejected it. We will calmly discuss the matter among us before meeting PM-designate Hariri.”
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 the 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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