Salam Vows to Continue Shouldering His 'National Responsibility'

W460

Prime Minister Tammam Salam pledged Wednesday to “continue shouldering the national responsibility during this tough period that the country is going through.”

“We will remain the guardians of this structure... We will not back down, weaken or bow in the face of the challenges,” Salam stressed.

“The current situation does not call for optimism but Lebanon went through a lot of junctures and overcame major tests,” the PM added.

“Despite all the chaos and destruction that is surrounding us, we in Lebanon are being envied over our situation due to our domestic cohesion,” Salam went on to say.

Sources close to Salam have said that the PM will not postpone a controversial cabinet session scheduled for Thursday despite a decision by the Free Patriotic Movement to boycott the meeting.

In remarks to al-Joumhouria newspaper, the sources also rejected the FPM's claim that holding a cabinet session in the absence of the FPM and Kataeb Party ministers would be a violation of the 1943 National Pact, stressing that “all sects will be present and represented.”

The FPM's decision is linked to the thorny issue of military appointments.

Last week, Defense Minister Samir Moqbel postponed the retirement of Higher Defense Council chief Maj. Gen. Mohammed Kheir after no consensus was reached over three candidates that he had proposed, angering the FPM which says that it opposes term extensions for all senior officers.

The movement fears that the extension of Kheir's term could pave the way for a new extension of the tenure of Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji next month.

Qahwaji's retirement had been postponed in September 2013 and his term was instead extended for two years.

Comments 6
Thumb barrymore 24 August 2016, 18:35

yes continue to shoulder your national responsibility and cover up for the iranian hezbollah actions both domestic and foreign.

Missing imagine_1979 24 August 2016, 20:34

I feel so much more better..
What would happened if the gov failled us? We would have lived with shitty electrecity, no watter, garbage everywhere, some illuminated shiite batteling in syria irak yemen and god knows where, rotten public educational and health sector, please mister salam donnot let us fall into this... Keep up ur great work...

Thumb Mystic 24 August 2016, 23:06

You people from March 14 alliance should be wiser and respect Tamam Salam, because he is going to stay for a long time unless you start making real concessions with March 8.

Tmam Salam will remain the acting President for a long time to come, unless common ground can be made.

Missing imagine_1979 24 August 2016, 23:35

:)

Missing imagine_1979 24 August 2016, 23:40

Well my current personal position wont change much in lebanese politics i'm afraid..
Anyway u are talking about concesions and political or even material gains for march 8.. I was talking about a state with no ared sectarian millicias, with proper public system, a democratic institution, modern and secular if possible, u know nothing like the islamic retarded iranian model u (heBollah in general) support...

Thumb marcus 24 August 2016, 20:31

The national responsibility requires you to take a stand and publicly condemn the terrorist party and all the evil it has committed against Lebanon and he Arab world. Otherwise, resign.