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| 04/07/2008 Anticipation of the swap deal between Hezbollah and Israel to materialize goes parallel with the prospect of a new cabinet to be formed soon, amid general optimism over the distribution of portfolios.
It is understood that the prevailing pressing atmosphere in Lebanon requires management by a government. The country is passing through critical crises, political, security, social and mainly economic.
President Michel Suleiman might skip the Mediterranean Summit in France on July 13, in case a new government was not formed.
As talks between MP General Michel Aoun's Change and Reform bloc and the Grand Serail (PM designate Fouad Saniora's headquarters) have intensified to reach a suitable formula, former MP Ghattas Khouri (Future Movement) said he expects the new government would be formed before Suleiman travels to France on July 12. Khouri was speaking after having met with the President Thursday at the Baabda Presidential Palace.
Khouri told reporters that the "priority now is for forming a new cabinet," adding that a meeting between Future Movement and Hezbollah officials is possible after that. He also described Wednesday's press conference by Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah as "positive."
On Friday, President Suleiman has reportedly launched his first valuable initiative which sought to bring together Sayyed Nasrallah and the head of the Future Movement MP Saad Hariri in a bid to work on the differences.
According to Hariri's Mustakbal daily, Suleiman was counting on the positive atmosphere that emerged following Sayyed Nasrallah's press conference in which he extended a hand to the pro-government camp. Al Mustaqbal quoted Hariri as telling visitors that he "cannot reject any initiative launched by President Suleiman."
Also speaking to the Mustakbal daily, Hariri's ally MP Walid Jumblatt said it is necessary to make President Suleiman's mission easy, adding that the recent positive atmosphere should be translated into progress on the course of cabinet formation.
However, Jumblatt accused Aoun of seeking gains to invest in the 2009 elections.
Aoun said he wanted a fair and balanced government according to the political and popular representation of each faction.
Speaking to Al-Akhbar daily, General Aoun accused the loyalty bloc of drawing artificial limits around itself, adding that "it is not true that the crisis is open-ended." "There is a limit on where it can go," Aoun said. "All sides are showing good will, but we cannot judge positions alone," he added.
Meanwhile, Free Patriotic Movement political official Jibran Bassil and Saniora met at the Grand Serail on Friday. Reports said that both officials discussed the PM designate offer to General Aoun.
Bassil left the Serail without speaking to reporters amid reports that the meeting was positive.
According to Assafir daily, Bassil and Saniora's adviser Mohammad Shatah reached an initial agreement on a package of portfolios for Aoun's bloc including Vice Prime Minister, Communications, Social Affairs, Power (instead of Economy) and Agriculture (instead of Industry).
However, Change and Reform MP Nabil Nicholas said that what has been circulated in newspapers over Saniora's offer to General Aoun "is inaccurate." Speaking to Al-Manar, Nicholas called on Saniora to announce his offer so that Aoun would respond to it.
For his part, Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea accused General Aoun of "trying to achieve as many gains as possible through blackmail.”
After meeting with President Suleiman Friday, Geagea said that the problem over the establishment of the government is the representation of Aoun's Change and Reform bloc. He noted the possibility of a meeting joining him and MP Michel Aoun in the near future under the auspices of the president.
Geagea had earlier told the Mustakbal daily that Aoun’s maneuvering is aimed at either retaining his current supporters or attracting new ones. | 
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