Salam: Keep Political Differences Away from Cabinet

Prime Minister Tammam Salam stressed on Sunday that he will not let the attempts to obstruct the cabinet succeed in their endeavors, calling on all parties to keep political differences away.

“I will not allow any attempts to obstruct the cabinet's work. Let them keep their political differences away from the government,” said Salam during a meeting with popular delegations at his residence.

Salam urged for dialogue among political parties.

On electing a head of state he said: "We want a president who makes us proud and who represents all the Lebanese."

Regarding the cabinet's decision-making mechanism he emphasized that: “I will not put a constant decision-making cabinet mechanism but I will more likely put an approach to get things going in the country,” he told VDL (93.3).

“The cabinet must take all the decisions and measures to provide the country with the required immunity. I will continue to shoulder my responsibilities and my stances," added the PM.

“I am always here if anyone wants to communicate with me.”

The cabinet convened on Thursday to tackle the government's mechanism of taking decisions in light of the presidential vacuum.

A number of heated exchanges took place in the session before they died down and the ministers were able to discuss the cabinet agenda.

It managed to approve one ordinary agenda article.

On the accusations naming him a 'Daeshi' in a reference to the Arabic acronym of the Islamic State extremist group, Salam said: “People can distinguish right from wrong.”

Foreign Minister Jibran Bassil, of the Free Patriotic Movement, said on Friday a day after the heated debate with Salam at cabinet, that the movement “will confront 'Daeshi' politics."