Ministerial Committee Sets New Meeting Date as March 14 Camp Insists on Baabda Declaration

The ministerial committee tasked with drafting the policy statement failed again on Monday to agree on a final proposal as the March 14 camp insisted on including the Baabda Declaration as a main clause.

The March 8 coalition was given 24 hours to consider the suggestion before the committee's upcoming meeting on Tuesday.

"We discussed the Declaration and we gave out political foes until tomorrow to give us their answer,” Labor Minister Sejaan Qazzi said after Monday's session.

“We insist on including the Baabda Declaration in the policy statement but we don't know if it will be just mentioned or instead an independent chapter in the draft,” a March 14 member of the committee told OTV.

Meanwhile, a March 8 source stated that adopting the Declaration as a “main chapter” in the statement is “rejected,” according to OTV.

MTV remarked that crunch talks have been taking place lately to find a formula accepted by all factions regarding the Baabda Declaration.

Informed sources told Future TV that both President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Tammam Salam want to mention the Declaration in the policy statement, noting that Speaker Nabih Berri is not against this suggestion.

Telecommunications Minister Boutros Harb assured that all factions are responsibly discussing the ministerial statement, adding that a "new perspective has been adopted in the talks."

"Salam proposed new ideas that are based on issues we have already agreed on before regarding the Baabda Declaration and the resistance,” he told An Nahar daily.

Prior to the talks, Interior Minister Nouhad Mashnouq pointed out that another session could be held to continue discussing the statement, after it has been announced that Monday's meeting will be the last.

Health Minister Wael Abou Faour also said he doesn't expect agreeing on a policy statement on Monday.

The ministerial committee tasked with devising the draft has so far met four times to come up with a policy statement.

March 14 camp's commitment to the Baabda Declaration and their rejection of the “army-people-resistance” equation were seen as two main obstacles in the approval of a new ministerial statement.

Salam has voiced support for a “short” ministerial statement.

The premier explained that his cabinet will only take office for a short period of time awaiting the presidential elections, and thus there is no need to tackle contentious matters in the statement.