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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Alain Aoun makes faces, rattles sabers at March 14th |
| 2008-06-30 |
| Free Patriotic Movement official Alain Aoun said the key to solving the government formation issue is allowing his group to control either the justice or communications portfolios. Aoun, in an interview with Naharnet, said a breakthrough in efforts by Premier-designate Fouad Saniora to form the cabinet is "expected any time now." Discussions at present focus on a proposal that goes along the lines of giving the Hizbullah-led opposition "one sovereign portfolio and other basic portfolios. Opposition factions would agree among themselves on sharing these portfolios," he said. "There is no problem whether we or Speaker Nabih Berri control the sovereign portfolio," Aoun added. The problem with the majority, according to Aoun, is in differences over other basic portfolios, namely the justice and communications ministries. He said a compromise proposal under consideration gives the opposition a sovereign portfolio, while the FPM gets either the communications or justice ministries as well as the seat of deputy premier in addition to a number of "services ministries, including the public works portfolio." Aoun reported "major progress" in efforts to form the cabinet after Berri informed Saniora of the latest opposition proposal. He accused the majority of having "suspicious" motives to insist on maintaining the justice and communications portfolios. "No one more than us is keen on safeguarding justice," Aoun said The opposition, according to Aoun, has an interest in speeding up efforts to form the new cabinet Â… that is why we are dealing positively with the issue." Recent acts of violence, according to Aoun, are a reflection of the "exposed security situation and the persisting tension that push towards more deterioration." He rejected charges by the March 14 majority that the opposition was blocking efforts to form the new cabinet. The opposition carried out its commitments by electing President Michel Suleiman, calling off the sit-in Â… the side that is making steps forward is not the side that is blocking," Aoun said. Aoun predicted that if no cabinet is formed "we would certainly observe an attempt to block the election law." He warned that "blocking the election law would be tantamount to a declaration of war." |
| Posted by:Fred |