Bou Saab: FPM Committed to Tackling Appointment of Army Chief during Next Cabinet Meeting

Education Minister Elias Bou Saab criticized the adoption of decisions linked to the agricultural sector during the last cabinet session in spite of the absence of Prime Minister Tammam Salam from the meeting, reported the daily al-Mustaqbal on Sunday.

He told the daily: “Decisions cannot be taken in such a manner.”

“We will tackle this issue during Thursday's cabinet session after I had discussed it with Salam during a telephone call on Friday,” he revealed.

Furthermore, the minister said that the Kataeb ministers oppose the adoption of a decision if another component of cabinet objects to it.

“Salam himself said during the last session that decisions cannot be adopted if one component rejects it,” said Bou Saab.

“How can issues be resolved through such an approach?” he asked.

He then stated that the Change and Reform ministers are committed to addressing the appointment of a new army commander during Thursday's government meeting.

Free Patriotic Movement ministers backed by their allies Hizbullah and the Tashnag Party have been demanding the discussion of the appointments by the cabinet before any other issue.

Bloc chief MP Michel Aoun wants his son-in-law Commando Regiment chief Brigadier General Chamel Roukoz to be appointed army chief.

Roukoz's tenure ends in October 2015 while the term of army commander General Jean Qahwaji expires at the end of September.

Aoun denied that he had a personal problem with Qahwaji, but that he had objections to his performance.

Although the government has so far failed to discuss the appointments, Aoun said the FPM ministers will not resign from the cabinet.