Hizbullah Seeks to Clinch Deal with Aoun on Rotation of Portfolios
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Hizbullah is seeking the approval of Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun on the rotation of portfolios in the new government after reports emerged that he was opposing such a move.
A Hizbullah delegation made up of Hussein Khalil and Wafiq Safa are negotiating with Aoun to convince him into approving the rotation which is likely to be between parties and sects.
But Aoun has expressed fears that such a rotation would deprive his party of the energy and telecommunications portfolios.
The current energy minister is his son-in-law Jebran Bassil while the telecom ministry is led by FPM official Nicolas Sehnaoui.
Media reports said Monday that the first meeting between Aoun and the Hizbullah envoys yielded no result.
Bassil said Sunday that the Christians should be represented by key portfolios in the new cabinet.
Other than the portfolios obstacle, As Safir daily reported that the FPM chief not only rejects the rotation of portfolios but also wants a 30-member cabinet rather than 24.
The current consultations are focusing on the formation of a 24-member all-embracing cabinet after al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri said he was ready to share power with Hizbullah.
However the March 14 alliance that is led by Hariri and the Hizbullah-led March 8 camp are still at odds on the policy statement of the cabinet.
March 14 has been insisting on making the Baabda Declaration as the basis of the statement. But March 8 along with President Michel Suleiman, PM-designate Salam and Speaker Nabih Berri, who are major players in the formation of the cabinet, want the policy statement discussions to be left out of the deal struck on the government.
20 January 2014, 08:09
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But Aoun has expressed fears that such a rotation would deprive his party of the energy and telecommunications portfolios.
sure, he owns these ministries. It is a family business... that is why he talks about deprivation!
20 January 2014, 08:13
58
But Aoun has expressed fears that such a rotation would deprive his party of the energy and telecommunications portfolios - WOW
Let it be known to every body - These portfolios belong to General Aoun and hid family
20 January 2014, 11:07
33
But they are being rotated. The finance is going to Shia this time and the foreign to orthodox, the ashghal to Christians...
20 January 2014, 14:54
51
FT you guys control every single minister for the past two years...we did not see you do anything too special other than telecommunications where you did juuuust enough not to be considered failures. Bassil on the other hand was a total failure. He spent half of his time lying about the Turkish ship, the other half of his time pushing for oil excavation under his term which he knew did not have political cover from anyone other than himself and his father in law. As for the finance ministry, this should go to whoever party is also controlling the PM position for obvious reasons.
20 January 2014, 14:58
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If I was a top policymaker in the FM I would be offering the Foreign Ministry and Telecommunications to Aoun. They have done a good job on the latter, while the former is a strong position that will placate them as well as keep this position out of the hands of the Shia parties, which have caused much damage with their control of the ministry.
20 January 2014, 08:49
66
How predictable. Here we go again, I have a feeling hthat HA is going to have more problems with Aoun than M14. Knowing Aoun and his son in law, the only way Bassil will walk away from the ministry is by paying him a goodwill figure.
20 January 2014, 08:57
67
The ferocious Man-eater Mr snore, will soon arrive to shower his Idol in praise. Rory, if Aoun try's to cross Nasrallah he will need to keep a pair of bullet proof running pajamas handy at all times.
20 January 2014, 09:43
65
also, you forgot to mention the FPM discovered oil and gas offshore. Allah Yihmeek as usual for speaking the truth.
20 January 2014, 10:07
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Flamethrower, I never report comments, especially yours. Your accusations are unfounded. You always attack me for no reason. I have nothing against you.
Your screen name today seems a bit unusual ? Did you change something? Oh, the dashes are inverted now. Cool...
20 January 2014, 09:53
64
BTW dearest Flamethrower, I noticed that your popularity is going through the roof with votes coming from every corner of the planet earth. One thing I found out that the number of votes you seem to get is directly proportional to the numbers of "O"s you have in LOL. To further illustrate my findings: In one post your comment was just "LOL" and you got 5 votes. In another comment, you wrote "LOOL" and you got 10 votes, while in the last comment "LOOOOL" you got 40 votes. Now, it is scientifically proven that approval of political point of view is a direct relationship of LOL.
20 January 2014, 11:18
25
ice-man, you observations are empirical and therefore difficult to prove at this point, unless you make many more such observations, plot them and show us whether the relationship is linear or exponential. Based on this you can produce a formula, where the numbers of votes is a function of the numbers of "O". Looking forward to see the result of your research.
20 January 2014, 10:34
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The ministry of foreign affairs is in the hands of HA and I don't think this is very good. Couldn't the FPM exchange one of their portfolios with HA for the Foreign affairs?
The most optimal solution is a rotation of all portfolios in order to limit nepotism in our institutions.
20 January 2014, 11:10
44
FT indeed Bassil has done good works. So has Nicolas. I actually would support keeping those two ministries with Gebran and Nicolad not because they should be FPM's but because they are competent and driving good work. I would not say the same about aridi not about mansour or Safadi.
20 January 2014, 15:12
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Bassil is competent? Really? The electricity situation is still pretty much what it always has been.
20 January 2014, 16:22
51
lol so does the new powerplant work via time machine, providing electricity before it was built? otherwise my statement still stands, cretin. we are still paying for generators and the electricity still cuts off for 2-3 hours every day.
20 January 2014, 13:33
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ft, u never showed evidence for any of ur m14/sunni accusations but keep asking for proofs...
20 January 2014, 14:42
03
I know one thing is for sure, the people of Lebanon got once again cheated of a genuine opportunity to bring change to this country. The politicians secured their interests, their businesses and now are negotiating between themselves how to share the cake form time to time. Remember people, you don't matter, you populate Lebanon but the truth remains and will remain, you are nothing, you are just consumers. Buy food from the supermarket, and pay, it doesn't matter if the food is expired, that's for you to figure out. Same goes for pharmaceuticals, for power, telecoms, road networks, pay, shut up and don't complain. Your beaches are ours, your towns and cities are ours, we do what we like, you just keep quiet. Sukleen is back to work? Wal 7amdullah, there'll be a new cabinet, wal7adullah, at least better than nothing, just remember, Lebanon is not yours but ours as politicians, ento ya sha3b ento ma shi, wala shi.
20 January 2014, 16:20
30
In my humble opinion:
Independent Share
-----------------
President - Interior
President - Defense
President - Deputy Prime Minister
Prime Minister - Prime Minister
Prime Minister - Finance
Prime Minister - Information
PSP - Culture
PSP - Labour
March 8 Share
-------------
FPM - Telecommunications
FPM - Foreign Affairs
FPM - Public Works and Transport
Amal - Displaced
Amal - Agriculture
Amal - Sports and Youth
Hezb - Social Affairs
Hezb - State Minister
March 14 Share
--------------
FM - Energy
FM - Health
FM - Environment
LF - Tourism
LF - Justice
Kataeb - Education
Independent - Economy and Trade
Independent - Industry
20 January 2014, 17:46
32
I agree, veritas, what does it matter except that the various parties can know which ministry they can plunder and for how long. What does it matter to the Lebanese people and State which thief is robbing them blind and in broad daylight. As long as the Lebanese sit back and party, or applaud and give awards for theft, then they will continue to be robbed at will by their appointed political class. Aish (fill in the blank) Make yourself wealthy out of my pocket. Aish!!!
