Berri: March 8 No Longer Unified on Internal Issues

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Efforts to line-up the cabinet gained momentum on Tuesday as PM-designate Tammam Salam met a number of officials and held talks with Speaker Nabih Berri who said that March 8 is no longer unified, and that each of its components will negotiate Salam separately on the cabinet formation, according to As-Safir.

Berri told Salam that the Amal Movement and Hizbullah will negotiate on their share in the cabinet separately from their ally Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun, according to the daily.

“We agree with Aoun that there are differences in view within the March 8 about some internal issues, mainly on the issue of the cabinet formation. Each party is to negotiate only on its own share in the cabinet,” Berri said.

“March 8 that used to include Amal movement, Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement is no longer unified to negotiate on internal issues,” he added, but stressed that strategic understanding still exists among the said parties regarding the resistance and the conflict with Israel.

On the cabinet formation process, the Speaker added that previous demands of March 8 to obtain veto power in the cabinet are dropped in light of the differences that emerged among the alliance's members on extending the parliament's term and Army Chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji's tenure and on the role of the constitutional council.

Disputes between the FPM and Hizbullah emerged after Aoun openly opposed the extension of Qahwaji's term while Hizbullah never made such a position.

Qahwaji's term ends this September when he turns 60, the maximum age for the post of the army commander.

Berri added that he is keen to facilitate Salam's mission and will therefore submit a long list of candidates to the PM-designate, and is willing to introduce changes to that if it does not meet Salam's approval.

He added that Amal Movement and Hizbullah demand to have 5 ministers in a cabinet of 24-members or 6 ministers in a cabinet of 30.

On the demands of March 14 to return retired Internal Security Forces chief Ashraf Rifi to his post and extend the term of the Army chief, Berri suggested that the alliance put its request forward in a cabinet session.

“I don't mind. Let them propose the issue in an extraordinary cabinet session, and if they did not agree, then the parliament would tackle the issue.”

Comments 19
Missing theobserver 10 July 2013, 10:09

Looks to me the FPM will be excluded from the cabinet (if there's a cabinet at first place) like it happened in 2005. This is just a hunch.

Missing beirutbastard00 11 July 2013, 00:38

Yea no chance. He didn't give them Christian cover for nothing. But honestly, u gotta admire the way hizballah sticks with its allies.

Thumb mckinl 10 July 2013, 12:52

Aoun is fed up with Berri's corruption ... and since the HA is too busy to take issue, Auon will seek other partners in the Christian parties.

Missing beirutbastard00 11 July 2013, 00:43

Of course... He saw the light... Before the elections

Aouns goal is to, at least, have an fpm member as president. He's an old man now and he just wants to prove his critics wrong.

Missing pifpaf 10 July 2013, 12:53

Aoun is not stubborn dude. aoun is right and haters will be haters. He could easily be the whole government by himself . Remember he faught with kitchen knives against the syrians and then with dirty pyjamas against the iraqis and the french and then with his own midget against the world. Aoun can do anything.

Missing pifpaf 10 July 2013, 12:56

Ya dude Berri is like a two dollar ho , he was with amal then switched to being with HA and then back again, whereas Free of Patriotic Movement were never with anyone and always stayed that way and always with Lebanon till the bitter end whoch they are pushing towards successfully like everything else Aun sets his mind to. Everyone condemning the FPM shoul "shutup" just lile our beloved leader said.

Missing beirutbastard00 11 July 2013, 00:37

Lol sure thing.

Missing ArabDemocrat.com 10 July 2013, 13:03

M8 is not finished. This is a strategy to save Aoun sagging popularity in the Christian street by showing him as independent of the Hizb. I doubt that it will work.

Thumb lebanon_first 10 July 2013, 16:44

Aoun did the right thing to distance himself from the both the party of thugs and the party of Iran.
But he is clumsy, I hope he tones down his antisunnite rethoric, that he quits his extrimism, that he makes up with Geagea and kataeb, and he will be fine to go.
And I hope they give energy to Bassil, who in spite of his lack of charisma and his misgivings is the only one who did anything in this file.

Thumb cedre 10 July 2013, 19:56

obviously u ignore what salafi means...

Missing beirutbastard00 11 July 2013, 00:55

@cedre... I don't think ft's attacking the definition of the word "salafi"...

The problem are the people who are labeled as salafists... Correct me if I'm wrong, but they just happen to be the most backward and intolerant people in our society. It's the combination of those two things that defines them. Their belief, in practicing original Islam, is their business. But when it comes to their tikfirism, they have no place among us.

Sunni Muslims, or at least the ones I know, are just normal people. They have jobs, families, a religion, and their own lives. And I would just like to say, the Sunnis of Beirut, are the reason we still have a Beirut.

Missing beirutbastard00 11 July 2013, 01:14

@ft... Fpm members, in my opinion, have a belief that once aoun gets in power he will show his true self, n fix everything, but for now he's doing whats best for our country. And that's cool.

But don't u think this man has any flaws whatsoever?... The way he talks on tv, the way he consolidates power by hiring family members, his refusal to compromise... What makes him stick out from any other politician in Lebanon??

I'm sorry but this guy is no Rafik lHariri! .... Aoun is an old Lebanese politician, ex army general, nowhere near a statesman! AND I can see a hundred things harriri did wrong. ... You don't see anything wrong with aoun? (Besides believing what LF said, n stabbed him in the back, etc.)...

Thumb benzona 10 July 2013, 16:47

Corruption = Monopole + Pouvoir - Transparence

Missing beirutbastard00 11 July 2013, 00:35

Yea that's prolly where they're headed. Or aoun is now an "independent" candidate... Meaning m14 get a third, m8'gets a third... And the independents, including aoun gets a third...

Missing helicopter 11 July 2013, 00:45

He added that Amal Movement and Hizbullah demand to have 5 ministers in a cabinet of 24-members or 6 ministers in a cabinet of 30...................
And my question to Berri is: If you do not get the 4 ministers, will you allow the parliament to vote on the cabinet or will you shut the doors again? And will Hezb still threaten civil peace?

Missing helicopter 11 July 2013, 00:46

Sorry ... the 5 ministers.

Missing beirutbastard00 11 July 2013, 01:32

IT CAN'T WORK... Here's why.

Salam wants 30 ministers, 10 M8- 10 M14- 10 independents...

If hizballah n Amal get 6...

And aoun recently said he wants 6... http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2013/Apr-25/214998-aoun-sets-conditions-for-new-lebanon-cabinet.ashx#axzz2YgT1Itq8

That leaves 2 for marada, 2 for tashnag, and 1 for the Lebanese Democratic Party, to make up the Chang and reform bloc.

Even if they are willing to part with one minister, they will still have a veto 16-14... And even if they gave up 2 ministers, they would have a blocking 15-15! ... Exactly what Salam tried to avoid with his 10-10-10 formula.

Thumb Bandoul 11 July 2013, 06:01

Micho ya Micho heik za3alto la Nabbouha? Power corrupts ya Micho and abolute power corrupts absolutely.

Thumb Bandoul 11 July 2013, 06:02

Typo, absolute power corrupts absolutely.