Report: Aoun Rejects Handing Energy Portfolio to his Allies
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun is refusing to give the energy ministry portfolio to any of his allies in the Amal movement, Hizbullah, Tashnag and Marada parties to facilitate the government formation process, An Nahar daily reported on Thursday.
It quoted sources as saying that until late Wednesday, Aoun had not given a response to envoys mediating the cabinet formation process on a proposal to keep the portfolio as part of his Change and Reform bloc but not necessarily with an official from the Free Patriotic Movement.
Tashnag and Marada MPs are part of Aoun's bloc.
But al-Joumhouria said that a major breakthrough was made on Wednesday night when talks between the FPM and ex-PM Saad Hariri's al-Mustaqbal movement led to a deal to give Aoun a so-called sovereign portfolio in addition to another ministry that has a balancing role in return for granting the energy portfolio to a non-provocative consensual person.
According to al-Akhbar daily, at least one telephone conversation has been held between Hariri and Aoun, while caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil and Nader Hariri are in continuous contact to discuss the details of the cabinet.
The conflicting reports came as officials close to President Michel Suleiman told An Nahar that he was reassured with the path of the consultations on the formation of the government.
The intense talks between the different parties to resolve the cabinet deadlock delayed a meeting that was scheduled to take place between Suleiman and Premier-designate Tammam Salam on Wednesday, the officials said.
Salam is expected to visit Baabda Palace on Thursday, in a meeting described by al-Joumhouria as decisive.
The daily said the cabinet formation decrees could be issued on Thursday night if Suleiman and Salam were convinced that the line-up was constitutional and in accordance with the standards set by the president.
13 February 2014, 08:07
1510
The Aoun energy portfolio melodrama continues… major breakthrough… conflicting reports… intense talks… visit Baabda Palace… decrees could be issued on Thursday night… and the show goes on.
The next installment of this saga, will be the much anticipated telecast speech by the Glorious Thug in hiding.
13 February 2014, 12:50
114
Yeah FT this is a conspiracy against general coward where is your proof that he is innocent of all the accusations that are laid where as the evidence proves otherwise just get off your one eye and see the facts stupid
13 February 2014, 13:47
114
No need for an article. Aoun - Nasrallah relationship is at its worst ! They even threatened him saying he would be NOBODY without them !
Will you still support Hezbollah if they break up ?
13 February 2014, 14:12
104
Wishful thinking : http://www.assafir.com/Article.aspx?ChannelID=1&ArticleID=337102 ???
Hezbollah is putting Aoun back in his place reminding him that without them, he is NOTHING ! He's a pet ! And he either falls in line or will be eliminated from the equation!
I will never support Aoun nor Hezbollah who lost all respect from true patriots !
13 February 2014, 14:13
103
You havent' answered my question : Should Aoun / HA break appart, who would you support ? Both ? None ? One of both ?
Would you still respect Aoun ?
Would you still respect HA ?
13 February 2014, 15:55
92
If you read between the lines, this is a public threat to Aoun ! This trash paper is one of HA's mouthpieces... They are putting him back in place. This is dangerous. The MOU is dangerous. The partnership is dangerous. HA is dangerous.
The worst of it is that Aoun realized his mistake long ago but is too damn proud to back away from his failed choices.
13 February 2014, 08:08
117
He does not even trust his own allies) This lunatic has no allies..it is me me me! Only Bassil is qualified to run the energy portfolio...LOL.
13 February 2014, 10:29
107
The energy ministry and EDL are much worse than they used to be. More employees were hired by Bassil which clearly added to EDL losses. Don't mix up facts. EDL costs the treasury between 2-3 billion USD per year. It is the future revenues from oil and gas and the commissions that will be earned by Bassil and Aoun which are the real issue.
13 February 2014, 09:30
711
God bless General Aoun for protecting Lebanon against the terrorism of Saudi Arabia and its February 14 Salafi puppets.
13 February 2014, 09:38
28
Sheeple of Lebanon, if you do not stand up to these politicians and show them that this is unacceptable, we will suffer for eternity. since when did it become about what ministries politicians want instead of what the people need?
Governments work FOR the people, not against the people
13 February 2014, 09:45
712
u can also look at this from another perspective .
Al mustaqbal is willing to accept that anyone take the Energy portfolio including HA... but not Aoun. why all this stubbornness from Al mustaqbal ?
13 February 2014, 09:53
116
Excellent observation theaouni! It is called rotation principle. Mustaqbal is showing flexibility by saying ok, have some of your allies Mr. Aoun take the energy portfolio if you think we have special interests in it. But Aoun will not even allow his allies to take the position.
13 February 2014, 10:21
57
And why now the rotation principle ? the finance portfolio was with al mustaqbal for more than 20 years and they never complained.
The rotation principle is just a trick to take the Energy portfolio from Aoun. Berry also would be happy about it.
Aoun wants it for himself because he wants to benefit from it (money ,commission, power ... u name it) like all other parties. so it's in his interest that the project works so that he gets the money and the credits... For me as long as the oil project works, i dont care who will take the credits (Aoun, Mustaqbal ...)
However, with changing the portfolios constantly, this project wont go anywhere ! and the only loss is to Lebanon.
13 February 2014, 10:51
57
The stubbornness from Aoun is very well understandable.
He wants it for himself because he wants to benefit from it (money ,commission, power ... u name it) like all other parties. Also Aoun likes to get the credit, this is important for him. He likes to pause himself as the savior, the person who did something for Lebanon. So this is an opportunity for him.
13 February 2014, 12:08
94
Only in Lebanon signing a few contracts for power plants and power generation is considered an achievement. Lol...
13 February 2014, 09:52
106
Let him keep his bloody energy portofolio, whats the difference? Anyone who comes will rape it for ali its worth anyway wheteher its M14 or M8, shoo yanni we rotate the thieves? At least if one thieve remains in his post maybe byistihy alla dammo, but if a new one arrives he will be hungry and eager to see how he can milk it, thats if he theive before him left anything. If its a totally dry ministry they can always go beg for more international loans anyway, Real estate, luxury cars, private jets, yachts have a high upkeep. Inno put urselves in their shoes ya shabbab sah? Im going to suggest we open a fund for them and we can all contribute as well because Im worried about their assets maintenance cost to be honest. Shoo raikon ya shabbab?
13 February 2014, 10:40
114
On the one hand, he doesn't want to give up the commissions, and have anyone discover evidence of his son-in-law's corruption and hold it against him in his dream of presidency,
on the other hand, no one has ever done 1% of what bassil has done in the Lebanese oil and gas issue although nothing major was done.
Truth be told, Lebanon is now on the oil and gas world producers list. Hopefully to be on the expoerters list some day.
13 February 2014, 11:15
85
i didn't say i had it... maybe you do!!??
i suggest reading courses!
13 February 2014, 11:24
102
Yes trigger whoever comes will rob us blind but at least this guy thinks big, he knows that a profitable ministry will make more money and will be there for ever to milk, a bit like what Harriri senior was doing. There are a few ministers who think that way the others have the cut the tree from the base and not only the branches mentality. Damn them all trigger damn them all
13 February 2014, 12:05
93
Walla ya Ft the only way is to conduct an audit a proper one for all ministries and whoever is found to be corrupt goes on trial. But you know and I know that they would prefer to drag the country into a civil war before they let anyone do that.
13 February 2014, 13:06
92
"well, cedars (: since it's easier to get a christian into jail in lebanon, why dont you sue aoun and the FPM since they're so corrupt? yalla khlas menoun, what r u waiting for? and feel free to 'rotate' portfolios among your honest selves(:"
Ana sue them? Unfortunately I dont have a ministry I can steal from to pay an army of lawyers, I have another solution for you, you seem to have a bit of money ( laano you told me you have 15 ambere ishtirak am bit fashakh alayih kinnit) so you can help finance that, or Ill let the Lebanese people do it which is a better option.
13 February 2014, 11:35
28
same people who sidelined the late georges frem from wizaret el taka are the same that are obstructing the power plans for Lebanon from electricity to gaz and oil
god bless Lebanon
and god bless Lebanese that Lebanon for them is before religion
13 February 2014, 12:46
95
FT your so far into general coward that all we can see are your boots hanging out his rear
13 February 2014, 13:00
92
@wolf whoever takes this portfolio must disclose all contracts and all financial records and the ministers bank accounts be made available to auditors to scrutinise the deals that are made this portfolio has now become very important to lebanons future as it will generate a lot of income that could well set lebanon up financially for decades to come that is why there is the big fuss regarding it and Aoun and his son inlaw cannot be trusted at all
13 February 2014, 14:19
78
well ya General we are all with you not to give them our hope of making money to elevate lebanon from his dept...we believe in your wisdom n clean hands whatever they say reflects their own backgrounds....Vive le General !!
13 February 2014, 21:59
70
"23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part, and also His coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
"24 They said therefore among themselves, 'Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,' that the Scripture might be fulfilled which saith, 'They parted My raiment among them, and for My vesture did they cast lots.' These things therefore the soldiers did." John 19: 23-24
13 February 2014, 22:01
81
The passage from St. John's Gospel comes to mind when I read of Aoun bidding on Ministerial portfolios. He is like a vulture, and Lebanon is the victim, as was Jesus at the crucifixion in the hands of the Roman soldiers, now is Lebanon delivered over to the hands of privateers such as Aoun, Berri and the like.
