1st Cabinet Meeting Held amid Arslan’s Absence, Commemorative Photo Taken at Baabda Doorstep

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Premier Najib Miqati’s new cabinet held its first session at Baabda palace on Wednesday in the absence of Talal Arslan who had announced his resignation to protest the state ministry post allotted to him.

President Michel Suleiman chaired the meeting at 10:30 am. Miqati and the remaining 28 members of the cabinet attended. Arslan announced his resignation hours after the government was formed on Monday. He was demanding a cabinet portfolio.

The first cabinet session was mainly aimed at forming a committee designed to draft the policy statement.

The National News Agency said the committee headed by Miqati includes ministers representing the major parliamentary blocs. They are: Charbel Nahhas, Shakib Qortbawi, Ali Qanso, Ali Hassan Khalil, Mohammed Safadi, Nazem al-Khouri and Wael Abu Faour.

NNA said that at the start of the session, Suleiman discussed the latest developments and the challenges facing the cabinet. As for Miqati, he discussed about the government’s major work plan.

Ahead of the meeting, the cabinet’s members were joined by Suleiman and Speaker Nabih Berri at Baabda’s doorstep for the official photograph.

Comments 15
Default-user-icon amirmansour (Guest) 15 June 2011, 12:55

Very comic and very sad
No educated qualified women in Lebanon to handle any portfolio ??????
Or Lebanese women refused to share the Glory with lebanese Politician
Well done very sadly ????

Default-user-icon MUSTAPHA O. GHALAYINI (Guest) 15 June 2011, 13:09

let's see how they can manage the regional storm,and international tribunal.

Default-user-icon amirmansour (Guest) 15 June 2011, 15:13

Look at this
with only 2 comments
This shows the great interest of the Lebanese in a new government
They got used and got saturated for Life without government.
This is not healthy

Default-user-icon grumpy (Guest) 15 June 2011, 15:22

What would the Grand Ayatollah do ? sorry to say,NO WOMEN ALLOWED,, PATHETIC CABINET

Default-user-icon furious (Guest) 15 June 2011, 16:09

Its Obvious the new gov is Iranian and not syrian. (NO WOMEN IN GOV)
Syria has women in their gov.
I am sure the US is involved in it . The truth is coming out little by little.
The US is pro Iranian. Why? because they attacked Iraq and not Iran.
Who is behind all this? Israel. All Palestinians are Sunni. They want sunni shiite strife. That tells us one thing. Israel and only Israel is the winner.
The jews will do anything to keep sunnis away from governing lebanon. In fact the Jews are helping Assad. If sunnis take over Syria they will attack Israel and help their fellows sunnis in palestine. They convinced the US not to take action against Assad. Thats why the US is taking its time. When Syria left Lebanon within one day of the US demands. Remember? So my friends there is nothing you and i can do as long as there are jews in this world. Its all about who is stronger. Look at Jumblat . Follow his history.
Iran is loaded with jews do you know that?

Default-user-icon Le Phenicien (Guest) 15 June 2011, 18:08

Congratulations to all Lebanese for the new governement .

This government will start working immediately from tomorrow morning .

His task is , to fighting corruption , to stop immigration ,to give jobs and a decent life to all Lebanese , to make all the Lebanese feel they are all equal , to bring to justice all the gang that ruled illegally the country with corruption , to give back the stolen lands in Beirut , illegally owned by Solidere , to their real owners (...) !! etc etc etc ...

This government will make miracles , wait and see .

Today We are proud to be Lebanese .

Default-user-icon Jose (Guest) 15 June 2011, 18:36

Why black suits not white suits???

Default-user-icon Hold your Horses (Guest) 15 June 2011, 19:14

Before you congratulate anyone Le Phenicien,

Let the new Government draft it's policy statement and obtain the vote of confidence. And let me remind you that many of the politicians in this cabinet are themselves corrupted or belong to corrupt parties with almost no exception !

You should wake up and stop hearing the demagogic speeches of these leaders because they want you to blindly repeat their words without even questioning them !

If you are a free thinker, than you will find that both these politicians and the ones you oppose should be changed.

You shouldn't be so happy about this government because in the end, nothing will change.

You will find the same situation in the US, Republicans, Democrats, nothing changes, same wars, same problems, different faces, different tactics, same results !

Just wake up and realize that all of them should be replaced !

Missing joseph 15 June 2011, 19:55

where is Bachar? I don't see him in the picture! is he must the one taking the photo?.

Default-user-icon Gebran Sons for Cedar Revolution II in 2013 (Guest) 15 June 2011, 21:18

How disrespectful to the cabinet and all Lebanese to have Hizb ministers not wearing a tie just because Ahmadinajad doesn't like them. Don't they have an ounce of free will and respect for Lebanese traditions. What's next, segregating the Lebanese parliament with separate entries for men and women?

Default-user-icon Pacifier (Guest) 16 June 2011, 00:13

Guys, Lebanon is done, once the ministerial statement rejects STL and adopts Hezbollah weapons the consequences will be :

- American sanctions on Lebanese entreprises, in Lebanon and abroad , and whoever works with them, since it is a Hezbollah controlled governement.

- Forget about ever working in gulf countries again, they dont need us anymore, specially that their people have good universities like AUD (American university of Dubai ) and other, so they are at a better level then us, and specially now with Hezbollah which is controlling Lebanon, they will even fire lebanese like in Bahrain .

- Forget about International support or aid, from military to other, and it is normal if some of the dogs on the site bark saying that US never gave us good weapons, sure, because half of the army responds to Hezbollah...

- We heard General Aoun saying he was very popular among women, we can see how he loves them when he didnt even give one seat to any of his women MPS, which arent many.

Default-user-icon Pacifier (Guest) 16 June 2011, 00:20

we also have '' great personalities '' in the governement, such as Qasem Anso ( Qawmi Souri ) , Jean Abboud ( Qawmi Souri ) , Faisal Karami ( Qawmi Souri ) , Charbel Nahhas ( Communist and Thief ), Gebran Bassil ( which in 2-3 years of ministry bought half of batroun , i didnt know he had so much money when he could barely buy new clothes before that ) . and other wonderful personalities of the past, which are of course in Aounist points of view, perfect, but i guess they forgot about when they fired all those people or their fathers from the governement with the march 14th revolution when Tayyar was affiliated with Mustaqbal, LF, Kataeb, A7rar.... Anway with what i said in my earlier comment, you will see how Lebanon is going straight to hell and i hope all Aounist burn for that no one else, because they are the ones who gave the control to hezbollah and made his dream come true way earlier than expected, next stop, they will try to remove Sleiman. wait and see

Default-user-icon Hassan (Guest) 16 June 2011, 00:39

Hizb alla will boycott any woman minister in this cabinet for sure, and its male ministers will not wear ties. Guys are you nuts?
Haven't you heard Hasan Nasr alla promoting wilayat alfaqih? He said in wilayat alfaqih they do not show Star Academy. They show intelligent programs and education only.
For those of you who can read Arabic. Read this BBC link. This is about wilayat alfaqih and the ayatollahs.
God help us!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arabic/middleeast/2011/06/110615_iran_rape.shtml

Thank you Mikati, Thank you Jumblat, Thank you Michel Aoun

Default-user-icon Rodolph (Guest) 16 June 2011, 00:49

Walaw ya Walid Daouk!!!
What are you doing among these thugs?
Come on...! Do you need this? Really...?
Go Home. You have the fame, the peace and the reputation you earned.
Don't waste your time & your good reputation.
This team is not for you.
You are different. What is this for?

Default-user-icon Gebran Sons for Cedar Revolution II in 2013 (Guest) 16 June 2011, 01:28

The definitive picture of pirates disguised in suits, each planning his loot! Pretty soon Lebanon will join Somalia’s fate and tales of ruthless pirates… After telecom and energy, they’ve already set their sight on Solidere, the only respectable company left in Lebanon after the exodus of good paying multinational firms compliment of the Basij. Pretty soon Lebanon will be a wasteland with the same economic vitality, freedom and attractiveness to investors as Tehran and Hizbollahstan… Pity a nation!