Miqati and Aoun Agree Not to Impose or Veto Any Name in Cabinet

Caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil has unveiled that Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun and Premier-designate Najib Miqati agreed not to veto any candidate proposed by the other to cabinet seats.

“We completed the distribution (of shares) and portfolios and we reached the final stage which is the stage of names whereby no name would be imposed or rejected or vetoed,” Bassil told An Nahar daily in remarks published Thursday.

“Consultations are ongoing between the prime minister-designate, all the sides participating (in the formation of the cabinet) and the president,” he said.

The positive development came after ice-breaking talks between Miqati and Aoun at the parliament building on Wednesday.

The prime minister-designate’s sources told As Safir newspaper that the meeting laid the groundwork for an understanding on cabinet obstacles and renewed the contact between Miqati and Aoun after a three-week standoff.

They confirmed that they agreed not to impose vetoes on any name proposed for the cabinet. “Agreement was reached for both men to exchange point of views on the names that Aoun would suggest without tension or complications.”

Sources close to Aoun also told As Safir that essential issues linked to the cabinet makeup were resolved and some details remained to be discussed.

Neither Aoun nor Miqati are seeking to achieve victories, they said, adding that both men are seeking to achieve consensus on what is the most suitable cabinet lineup.