Miqati Seeks to Revive Cabinet, Says Oil Exploration is Top Priority
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati is mulling to hold a cabinet session after Lebanon remained without a new government for more than seven months, and did not rule out putting two controversial oil decrees on its agenda.
In remarks to several local newspapers published on Monday, Miqati said: “A caretaker (cabinet) usually stays for a short time. But we have entered the eighth month and nothing indicates that we wouldn't stay in a resigned status for the ninth and 10th month and maybe more.”
“This requires certain steps and initiatives,” he said.
Miqati has launched a series of consultations with top officials to find the appropriate time to hold a cabinet session in a way that would not provoke any party.
The caretaker PM had been refusing to hold sessions, stressing that such a move was unconstitutional.
But he seems to have shifted from his stance, saying “I am very serious in reviving cabinet sessions and I don't think that there is any legal or constitutional hindrance to (exercise) my full authorities.”
“Let the government play its role and take the appropriate decisions on all necessary and urgent issues pending the formation of a new cabinet,” he said.
Premier-designate Tammam Salam has so far failed to come up with a line-up, blaming the rival March 8 and 14 camps that are putting conditions and counter-conditions on his proposals.
Miqati also told the newspapers that oil and gas exploration was at the top of the priorities list.
Caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil had been urging him to invite ministers for a session to approve two decrees that call for demarcating 10 maritime oil exploration blocks and setting up a revenue-sharing model.
Delays in issuing the decrees could postpone offshore drilling and exploration.
The main point of contention lied in Miqati who argued that the constitution did not authorize him to hold a session for that purpose and insisted that it lacked political consensus.
But in his remarks to the dailies, Miqati did not rule out putting the decrees on the agenda of a session and “hoped for a consensus on the vital issue” because “it requires more consolations” among the different parties.
“I don't think anyone is against oil (exploration) … but I want to study the issue from all its aspects because some (parties) have (expressed) reservations,” he said.
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