Cabinet to Continue Discussing Work Mechanism

The cabinet is scheduled to meet on Thursday to continue discussions on the controversial work mechanism in the absence of President Michel Suleiman and the failure to elect a new head of state.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam invited ministers to meet at 10:00 am Thursday at the Grand Serail although differences between the cabinet's members have not been settled yet.

The agenda of the meeting is the same of a previous session held on May 30.

The ministers have so far not agreed on how to set the agenda and whether to resort to consensus or the vote of the 24 ministers inside the cabinet.

Officials close to Salam said it was necessary for him to call for a session although the contacts among the rival parties have not yet led to an understanding on the appropriate mechanism.

The Constitution states that the cabinet would take over full executive power, including those of the president, if the country's top Christian post at Baabda Palace was vacant.

Lawmakers have failed to elect a new president in several rounds, the latest of which was on Monday over differences between the rivals on a compromise candidate.

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