No Decision inside Cabinet as Dispute Grows
The cabinet failed on Thursday to take any decision as ministers traded blame and accusations on several issues, including the extension of the terms of top military brass, despite a relatively calm session.
Before the session, Prime Minister Tammam Salam insisted to discuss urgent issues, but the Free Patriotic Movement ministers wanted to stick to the government's working mechanism and the appointment of top military and security officials.
Salam was holding onto the agenda of the session, which included the growing garbage management crisis and 740-million-dollars worth of international loans that need approval.
But Information Minister Ramzi Jreij said following the session that all ministers expressed their viewpoints on several issues and the cabinet was not able to take any decision.
According to media reports, the FPM ministers blamed Defense Minister Samir Moqbel for extending the terms of three top military officials last week.
In remarks to al-Joumhouria daily, Education Minister Elias Bou Saab rejected the “marginalization of a certain team,” saying “we are partners in the government.”
Both Bou Saab and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil, who are FPM officials, want the cabinet to first discuss the decision-making mechanism and the appointments of top military and security officials before moving to other items on the agenda.
FPM chief MP Michel Aoun and Salam have been for months locking horns over the mechanism that would govern the cabinet's work and the appointments.
The cabinet convened a day after FPM supporters held street protests against what they claim is the marginalization of the rights of Christians and the recent extension of the terms of top military officials.
It was also not clear if Aoun would give the green light to his supporters to resort to the streets again.
But high-ranking FPM sources told As Safir newspaper that the movement's next move hinges on “how others will deal with our known demands.”
“The FPM would be compelled to increase the dose of protests if the flaws were not fixed,” the sources said.
In his statement at the start of the session, Salam lamented that "the vortex of paralysis" has not ended.
He said the vacuum at the Baabda Palace was causing the paralysis of the parliament and the government.
This prompted Telecommunications Minister Butros Harb to announce that he will no longer attend cabinet sessions.
G.K.
D.A.
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