Report: Stakes High for Govt. Formation despite Row between Sunni MPs over ‘Adra Nomination’

The shuttle movement to form Lebanon’s government by Friday or Saturday accelerated after agreeing on a way out to name a minister representing the pro-Hizbullah Independent Sunni MPs from outside their Consultative Gathering, al-Hayat newspaper reported on Thursday.

A new name emerged in addition to the three names that some of these deputies proposed for President Michel Aoun to choose from.

MP Qassem Hashem (of the six MPs), a member of the Development and Liberation bloc (of Speaker Nabih Berri) has proposed businessman Jawad Adra as candidate. The name caused a disagreement between the six MPs who still have to decide on whether to agree on Adra or not, said the daily

Meanwhile, General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, who mediated the latest initiative that could possibly lead to a breakthrough in the formation, was active in “putting the final touches on the government formation with Lebanon’s officials,” said al-Hayat.

Prominent sources told the daily “the intention of issuing the government decrees in the next two days is still in place.” Head of the Free Patriotic Movement, Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil, after meeting with the PM-designate Saad Hariri and Ibrahim, voiced hopes the government would be formed before the year-end.

Hashem’s nomination of Jawad Adra as a candidate for the cabinet seat was rejected by some of deputies of the so-called Independent Sunni MPs. They said the name was suggested from outside the list they presented to Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim during their meeting.

Meanwhile, Hashem had said that he handed Ibrahim the name in a closed envelope.

Al-Hayat said the name of Adra, Founder and Managing Partner of Information International SAL, was suggested two days ago but was only leaked yesterday.

The sources suggested consensus between President Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and perhaps Hizbullah on the name.

Four of the six MPs have reportedly met away from the spotlight in the absence of Hashem and MP Faisal Karami, who is abroad, to address the matter.

According to LBCI television, the meeting was “stormy” and interlocutors “did not agree to support Adra's candidacy because he does not represent them.”

“Nothing has been decided yet,” one the six MPs was quoted as saying.