 |
| 10/06/2008 Prime Minister-designate Fouad Saniora has proposed an approach to distribution of cabinet portfolios and was reportedly awaiting response from the various political leaders.
In a stance that hints at changes in sovereign portfolios without altering the distribution list adopted by Saniora, sources told the daily An Nahar on Tuesday that the proposed cabinet line-up was drafted in accordance with the terms of the Doha agreement.
For this reason, Saniora divided up the cabinet such as the President appoints three ministers -- two sovereign and one minister of state without portfolio.
An Nahar said Saniora distributed the other seats as follows: Eight for the opposition, including one sovereign post, 12 for the majority, including one sovereign post, while the remaining seven posts – ministers of state -- would be divided up such as the majority gets four and the opposition three.
Sources told An Nahar that Saniora's aim behind this make-up was to reach a fair cabinet distribution, adding that the proposed list had been presented to the various sides but no one group has responded either positively or negatively.
Earlier, the head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Michel Aoun stressed Monday the need to form Lebanon's national unity government as soon as possible. "We are in a hurry to form the cabinet, and it should come about within a week," he told journalists after heading his bloc's weekly meeting.
Commenting on accusations that he was responsible for the complications in the cabinet formation, Aoun said the loyalty bloc pressuring him to stay away. He challenged them (ruling bloc) to try to form the government without his bloc. "They cannot form the cabinet without us, and if they think they can, let them try," he said.
The opposition leader said his group wants equal partnership in the forthcoming cabinet, reiterating that his request to receive the post of the Finance Ministry was justified. "I don't understand the loyalty bloc's attitude when it comes to the Finance Ministry... They are acting as if they own the ministry, while we know that it is only normal for any ministry to be rotated among the different parties," Aoun said, adding that he felt that "some ministries seem to be the property of some people."
On the security incidents that took place during the last few days, Aoun said the Defense and Interior ministries were required to identify the sides that provoke violence. He accused the loyalty bloc of fabricating security incidents and claims that there were problems around the cabinet to cover up exorbitant increases in prices, for which they were responsible. He noted that before they came to power, oil and wheat were never in short supply. | 
No comments:
Post a Comment