Report: Govt. Expected after Hizbullah ‘Persuades’ Allies, Ibrahim Mediates ‘Initiative’
Prospects grew on Wednesday that Lebanon’s seven-month delayed government could be formed before the year-end when the pro-Hizbullah Consultative Gathering MPs agreed to name a figure from outside their group to get a ministerial seat in the government.
Each of the pro-Hizbullah MPs is free to name the figure of his choice, out of which President Michel Aoun will pick one for a seat from his own share ending the stalemate and disagreements between political parties over shares and cabinet quotas, the pan-Arab al-Hayat daily reported .
Some figures have even expected the formation to crystalize by Saturday or Sunday, said the daily. A Consultative Gathering MP who was not named told the daily: “The obstacle has been solved, unless a new hurdle emerges.”
Al-Hayat said the indications that a soon settlement might be reached arose two days ago when senior Hizbullah sources told a number of parties that the stalemate of Sunni MPs representation is “heading towards a solution in light of concessions made by all sides.”
Politicians familiar with “the situation” told al-Hayat that Hizbullah has persuaded the six deputies to accept their representation through a figure from outside their group.
They have adamantly insisted before that one of them must specifically be named for a seat.
General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim mediated the “initiative” on Tuesday, and relayed Hizbullah leaders as saying that once Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri met with the six members of the Consultative Gathering, the problem would be resolved.
Some political circles said the developments at the regional level, mainly in Iraq and Yemen, “have attributed to the solution at Lebanon’s governmental level.”
Ibrahim’s mobility yesterday reinforced expectations that the government could be formed before the holidays in an effort to find a compromise within the framework of President Michel Aoun's initiative when he kicked off consultations with the various concerned parties last week, added the daily.
Ibrahim had met on Tuesday with the Sunni MPs, except for Faisal Karami who is traveling abroad and is expected to return to Lebanon on Friday.
The interlocutors agreed that members of the gathering would name personalities from their political line for a ministerial post. President Michel Aoun would then choose one of them to represent them.
The government was on the verge of formation on October 29 after the Lebanese Forces accepted the portfolios that were assigned to it but a last-minute hurdle over the representation of pro-Hizbullah Sunni MPs surfaced.
Hizbullah has insisted that the six Sunni MPs should be given a seat in the government, refraining from providing Hariri with the names of its three Shiite ministers in a bid to press him.
Source: Naharnet
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