No Agreement on Appointments as Crisis Lingers

The government failed on Wednesday to agree on the appointment of high-ranking military and security officials, mainly the person who will succeed Army chief of staff Maj. Gen. Walid Salman, who is set to retire this week.

Defense Minister Samir Moqbel proposed several names for the army leadership, the Chief of Staff and the Higher Relief Council but the rival ministers failed to agree on them.

Moqbel stressed earlier in the day that he would “abide by laws” and regulations if the cabinet failed to agree on the appointments.

“I have certain authorities that I could use,” Moqbel told al-Joumhouria daily, hinting that he would issue a decree to extend the term of Salman, who is set to retire at midnight Thursday.

But Education Minister Elias Bou Saab, who is a Free Patriotic Movement official, considered the possible extension illegitimate.

The FPM has rejected the extension of the terms of high-ranking military and security officials, calling for the appointment of new figures.

According to al-Akhbar newspaper published on Wednesday, General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim has made an initiative to resolve the dispute on the appointments.

The initiative has received the blessing of Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq. It calls for raising the retirement age of the army and security officers for three years, said the daily.

It added that FPM chief MP MichelAoun and Progressive Socialist Party chief MP Walid Jumblat have approved it, while Speaker Nabih Berri hasn't set his mind and al-Mustaqbal Movement preferred to wait for Berri's response before taking any stance.

Information Minister Ramzi Jreij said following Wednesday's session that Prime Minister Tammam Salam reiterated his call for the election of a president, saying “the vacuum is causing heavy damages at all levels.”

According to Jreij, “Salam said that some decisions have been taken to limit the waste crisis but the solution is temporary and garbage is piling up pending a final move.”

“Salam revealed that one of the options under study is the export of waste, hoping for a decision on the issue in the coming days,” said the minister.

The prime minister stressed, however, that the establishment of incinerators is the final solution to the crisis that erupted when the Naameh landfill south of Beirut was closed on July 17.

The cabinet is set to convene on August 13.

G.K.

M.T.