Jumblat Meets Berri, Says 'Positive' Developments in Cabinet Formation Process

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Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Sunday reported “positive” developments in the cabinet formation process, noting that Speaker Nabih Berri “always facilitates things.”

Jumblat, who visited Ain el-Tineh with caretaker Social Affairs Minister Wael Abu Faour, told al-Manar TV that “meetings with Berri always lead to positive things.”

“We stressed the importance of a political solution in Syria,” Jumblat was quoted as saying.

“The meeting with Berri was comforting and it involved discussions over all topics. Speaker Berri always facilitates things and we sense his keenness on stability,” he added.

For his part, Berri's aide Ali Hasan Khalil told al-Manar that "Jumblat tackled Berri's (recent) visit to Tehran," adding that they "discussed the political solution to the Syrian crisis."

Meanwhile, MTV said the Berri-Jumblat meeting “did not lead to anything new except for the mutual praise between them.”

Reports that Berri was expected to meet Sunday with al-Mustaqbal bloc chief Fouad Saniora turned out to be unfounded and talks between the two leaders are likely to take place on Monday.

The cabinet formation process was put on the front burner after Berri proposed a revised 8-8-8 government formula and President Michel Suleiman said he would form a so-called neutral cabinet if the political rivals don't agree on an all-embracing government within ten days.

Al-Manar said “Saniora will visit the PM-designate (Tammam Salam) after he meets Berri to inform him of the final stance of the March 14 forces."

Amid the Lebanese Forces' rejection of Hizbullah's participation in the cabinet, the March 14 camp has reportedly accepted the 8-8-8 formula in principle but it is awaiting answers pertaining to the ministerial policy statement and the rotation of portfolios among political parties.

Meanwhile, March 8 sources told OTV that the March 14 forces are “putting the cart before the horse by raising the issue of the ministerial policy statement.”

The TV network quoted sources close to Salam as saying that “there are no new developments in the cabinet formation process but the indications are positive.”

“We're serious in our intent to reach an agreement, but it should be over clear points, before we can join a political cabinet,” OTV quoted Mustaqbal sources as saying.

MTV said the “confirmed thing” is that the controversial army-people-resistance formula “will be replaced with another equation” in the ministerial statement.

“Berri is awaiting to hear from Saniora March 14's approval of an all-embracing, political cabinet and he will then answer these forces' questions,” a high-ranking March 8 source, meanwhile, told LBCI TV.

“Suleiman informed Saniora that the presidency cannot guarantee any answers to the questions of the March 14 forces and that's the reason behind the Berri-Saniora meeting,” LBCI said.

Comments 13
Thumb primesuspect 12 January 2014, 21:51

¡Sleiman and Salam should form their governement without political figures!

Pronto pronto

Thumb ex-fpm 12 January 2014, 22:34

and when it is all done, they will tell you : we have been saying all along HA should disarm and should be a political party only. There is no reasoning with these folks.

Thumb cedars2 12 January 2014, 22:43

Ex-fpm the thing with HA is they do not act independently they are merely pawns who follow Iran and Syrias instructions, when you see them acting bizarrely you should know that they are merely following orders. If Iran closes the tap that feeds them they will turn on each other and eat each other. The majority of Shiites fear HA and are praying the day when they can truly express their opinion will come.

Thumb beiruti 13 January 2014, 00:38

A burgler armed with a shot gun enters a family's home, holding the members of the household harmless. He orders all members of the family to go about their usual chores, the wife to prepare the meal, the family to have a seat, the husband to pray, and all to sit and eat with the burgler and his shotgun at the table. Is the family free and safe? They are doing usual things, except under armed order, rather than voluntarily.

Welcome to Lebanon's house.

Missing beirutbastard00 13 January 2014, 04:41

Yea that sounds bout right...

Missing watan-libnan 13 January 2014, 02:00

The reason these two scumbags jumblatt and berri are trying to put together a government right now is the feeding time thats coming in the form of 3 billion dollars from saudi arabia they couldn't careless if they walk over corpses of every lebanese to get to that money.

Missing watan-libnan 13 January 2014, 02:02

Hizbollah will become a political party and its head office will be sewer number 35 in dahieh

Missing beirutbastard00 13 January 2014, 04:43

Really the biggest joke is that Lebanon does not have a functioning sewer system.

Missing watan-libnan 13 January 2014, 02:04

Nasrollah will never walk the face of the earth in total security

Missing beirutbastard00 13 January 2014, 04:49

I don't care if they include alqaida in the cabinet, just fix this country already!! Plz if u don't live here stop talking big. The rest of us actually have to live through it.

A Sunni Shia reconciliation needs to happen ASAP! The religious leaders of both sides need to put out fatwas or falafel or whatever stating that no one shall be discriminated against because of his sect or religion.

Let us get on with life already.

Missing beirutbastard00 13 January 2014, 04:52

Also, it's time for us to raise our voice and call for audits on all politicians running for office from now on. Only the ones who truly want to serve the nation should be allowed to run for office,

Missing beirutbastard00 13 January 2014, 18:45

Someone seems to disagree lol it's a shame wallah...

Thumb cedars2 13 January 2014, 06:32

Nicely said man