Dispute over Shape and Representation Delays Cabinet Formation

A meeting between Premier-designate Najib Miqati and representatives of the March 8 alliance’s leaders did not make major progress on resolving the cabinet formation deadlock, media reports said Friday.

Miqati met on Thursday with the Free Patriotic Movement leader’s envoy, Caretaker Minister Jebran Bassil, and the assistants of the Hizbullah leader and the speaker, respectively Hussein Khalil and MP Ali Hassan Khalil.

Although MP Khalil told As Safir daily in remarks published Friday that the “atmosphere is positive” and “there is no government crisis,” March 8 sources said the meeting ended over a disagreement on whether the cabinet would be made up of 30 (as demanded by March 8) or 24 ministers.

The sources told al-Liwaa daily that the conferees also disagreed on the interior ministry portfolio and whether it would be kept with Caretaker Minister Ziad Baroud.

The four men further disagreed if the government should be made up of mainly technocrat ministers or not.

Al-Liwaa quoted President Michel Suleiman’s visitors as saying that the head of state was pessimistic over the announcement of the cabinet anytime soon.

Meanwhile, Miqati headed to his hometown of Tripoli on Thursday and returned the same day.

His visit comes as Caretaker Premier Saad Hariri has been campaigning against the March 8 forces and Hizbullah’s arms in Tripoli in the past three days.