Geagea Calls for Swift Formation of Cabinet, Warns of Further Deterioration

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea urged on Monday President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam to form the new cabinet without any delay, warning that the situation will further deteriorate if the process remained at a standstill.

“It is time for the government to be formed and the parliamentary blocs would have to assume their responsibilities afterward,” Geagea said in an interview with al-Akhbar newspaper.

Salam and President Michel Suleiman are seeking to form a cabinet divided equally between the Lebanese foes and the centrists and rejects to grant the veto power to any party.

However, Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has described the so-called 8-8-8 formula as "unrealistic," saying "it is technically a 10-6-8 formula since the premier-designate is a member of the March 14 forces and the minister he is supposed to name would abide by the same political agenda."

Geagea pointed out that the March 14 alliance is discussing its stance of the ongoing stalemate, saying “the situation in the country is deteriorating... The President and PM-designate should either form a cabinet or change their standards.”

The Christian leader called for the formation of a 14-member cabinet in which the ministers wouldn't be affiliated in neither the March 8 nor the March 14 coalitions.

He criticized the March 8 alliance for holding on to its stances regarding the formation of the cabinet, pointing out that the March 14 camp continuously voiced agreement for the formation of a non-political government.

“I don't guarantee that such a cabinet would have the parliament's confidence, but the situation in the country would be better,” Geagea said.