Bou Saab Seeks to Resolve Kataeb-PSP Dispute on LU Decree

Education Minister Elias Bou Saab has said he was seeking to resolve the dispute between the Kataeb party and the Progressive Socialist Party on the appointment of deans at the Lebanese University.

Bou Saab revealed that he was in constant contact with Kataeb minister Alain Hakim and Wael Abou Faour, a PSP official, after the cabinet failed last week to approve the LU decree proposed by him.

The cabinet members approved on Thursday the full-time employment of the LU workers but were unable to pass the decree over the Kataeb-PSP dispute on the appointment of deans.

The government is expected to tackle the issue during its next session.

In remarks to As Safir daily published on Monday, Bou Saab said that the problem could be resolved within days if the bickering parties were willing to find a solution.

But the crisis will linger if there was a political decision to paralyze the government, he said.

Hakim is expected on Monday to meet with Prime Minister Tammam Salam and later hold talks with Bou Saab, As Safir said.

In his remarks to the newspaper, the education minister expressed confidence in Salam. He described him as a “wise” man.

The PM “knows who is obstructing” the approval of the LU decree, he said, adding it was an "unjustified” act.

G.K.

H.K.