Report: New Settlement on Army Promotions Crisis in the Making

Lebanese officials are reportedly working on a new settlement on the promotion of military officers after a previous one collapsed following rumors that the deal included a clause which infuriated Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun.

Sources told al-Liwaa newspaper published on Monday that the negotiations on the promotions are underway. But they refused to divulge the details.

Last week, Aoun threatened to boycott the national dialogue chaired by Speaker Nabih Berri following reports that the deal included the appointment of an Internal Security Forces leader.

Several officials denied that the agreement on military promotions included an item on ISF appointments in an attempt to appease Aoun.

Despite their efforts, the cabinet has not yet met to approve the promotion of three senior army officers – a Maronite, a Shiite and a Sunni - among them Commando Regiment chief Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz, who is Aoun’s son-in-law, to the rank of major general.

According to al-Liwaa, the new deal aims at extending the term of Roukoz, who is set to retire on October 15.

Aoun wants to keep Roukoz in the military institution in a bid to make him army commander.

When asked what would happen if the officer's retirement date comes, sources close to Prime Minister Tammam Salam said: “We will see by then.”

Salam has been procrastinating on calling for a cabinet session over fears that differences between its members would grow amid the absence of a deal on the promotion of officers and the working mechanism of the government.

His sources said that the PM is “frustrated” but not “pessimistic.”

They stressed that Salam will not call for a cabinet session this week pending the results of the all-party talks that are scheduled to be held for three consecutive days starting Tuesday.

G.K.

D.A.