Report: Hariri, Khalil Hold ‘Heated’ Meeting Away from Spotlight

As wrangling over representation in the new government takes new forms each day, a “heated” meeting was reportedly held away from the spotlight between Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri and senior Hizbullah official Hajj Hussein Khalil, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.

The two men have met two day ago, during which Khalil (Hizbullah secretary-general's political aide) insisted that a grouping of Sunni MPs, opposed to Hariri, should be represented in the government, said the daily.

The meeting was described as “heated”, and when Hariri asked to provide him with the names of Hizbullah’s new ministers, like other parties did, Khalil refused in a bid to press the PM-designate to accept his demand.

The new obstacle had emerged Monday after a long-running standoff over the representation of the Lebanese Forces was resolved earlier in the day.

Hariri was tasked with forming the government in May. His mission has since been delayed because of wrangling between the country’s political parties over shares and quotas.

Later on Wednesday, al-Mustaqbal Movement sources told LBCI TV station: “We have no knowledge about such a meeting.”