March 14 Officials Discuss with Hariri New Platform after '2nd Stage of Coup'
Meetings held between top March 14 officials and former Premier Saad Hariri in Paris were aimed at finding ways to confront the new cabinet “after the constitutional coup entered its second stage,” said a high-ranking official in the coalition on Tuesday.
The March 14 forces had said that the collapse of Hariri’s cabinet in January was the result of a coup staged by Hizbullah and its allies. In remarks to al-Liwaa newspaper, the official considered the formation of Prime Minister Najib Miqati’s government as the second stage of the coup.
On Monday, Phalange party leader Amin Gemayel held talks with Hariri, who had met with MP Sami Gemayel the day before, An Nahar daily said.
Hariri also met twice with a March 14 delegation that includes MP Marwan Hamadeh and former lawmakers Fares Soaid, Samir Franjieh and Bassem al-Sabaa, the newspaper added.
The March 14 official told al-Liwaa that the meetings are aimed at discussing how to confront possible sanctions against Miqati’s cabinet that could spillover to other Lebanese officials.
The conferees also discussed the opposition’s platform in the next stage and ways to meet head-on with the government. One of the options would be the formation of a shadow cabinet, the official said.
Al-Mustaqbal bloc MP Jean Oghassabian confirmed to al-Jadeed TV on Tuesday that efforts are underway to form a shadow cabinet.
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