Opposition to Hariri: We Want Active Participation in Gov't

Opposition to Hariri: We Want Active Participation in Gov't
Hussein Assi

14/07/2009 Sixteen days have passed since MP Saad Hariri was appointed to head a "true partnership" government in which he would join the loyalty and the opposition…

Sixteen days have passed since Hariri launched his "intensive consultations" to reach a "formula" that might "satisfy" the so-called allies and at the same time "attract" the so-called rivals…

Yet, no breakthrough seems to have been achieved at the time the national opposition continues to call for "true partnership" that could be guaranteed by the "proportional representation," a major condition for participation as stated by the head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Michel Aoun.

The General received on Tuesday a Hezbollah delegation headed by Hezbollah Secretary General political advisor Hussein Khalil who told reporters following the meeting that the national opposition wanted an active participation in the upcoming government. The meeting was also attended by the head of Hezbollah Security Coordination Unit Wafiq Safa and Telecommunications Minister Gebran Bassil.

Khalil said that the opposition only has two options to choose from, either to have "real and effective participation" in the government or to refrain from joining it altogether if the proposed cabinet formula does not give the national opposition a significant number of seats in the new cabinet.

"The two options determine the path of our deliberations with Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri," Khalil said, emphasizing that the opposition was seeking true partnership and would not accept to be an "added number" in the cabinet.

Khalil thanked all regional states willing to facilitate the cabinet formation, but stressed that the biggest effort must be made by the Lebanese.

Later on, Bassil paid a visit to PM-Designate Saad Hariri with whom he held a meeting in the framework of the ongoing consultations over the cabinet formation. The Free Patriotic Movement official told reporters that the meeting was positive, adding that consultations were in the right track.

One day earlier, Hariri received a Tashnag delegation comprised of the Armenian party's Secretary-General Hovig Mekhitarian and MP Hagop Paqradounian. "We expressed willingness to facilitate the tasks of the premier," Paqradounian said following the meeting. "We as Tashnag and as an Armenian parliamentary bloc stressed our readiness to participate in the government. This is our right," he added.

Meanwhile, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri reiterated that "total discretion" was the best way to succeed at forming a new cabinet. Speaking to Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar after an "unannounced" visit to President Michel Sleiman on Monday, Berri said that his visit to Baabda was the "start of additional efforts to quickly form the government and work to push things forward."

He told the Lebanese daily that he was waiting Premier-designate Saad Hariri to present a full cabinet formula, reiterating that government formation will not be difficult. "We are still within the normal timeframe and we are waiting for a formula from the prime minister-designate," Berri said.

President Sleiman also received on Monday the head of the caretaker government Fouad Saniora who told reporters following the meeting that Hariri was fully capable of forming the upcoming government.

Asked about efforts to form a government, Saniora said that the issue is within the jurisdiction of the premier-designate. "I am sure that he would study the matter well and coordinate with involved officials before taking any step," he said. "Why would he resign," the caretaker PM wondered when a reporter asked him if Hariri should resign if he faces obstruction in formation of the cabinet.

In the meantime, Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc MP Nawwaf Mussawi told Lebanese daily An-Nahar that the Cabinet lineup is "moving in a vicious circle."

An-Nahar quoted political and parliamentary sources as saying that government formation seems to be a "long process" at the time Lebanese daily As-Safir quoted another political source as revealing that new ideas have been discussed to facilitate government formation. "There is a possibility that the proposals suggested could lead to a breakthrough," one source said.

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