Joseph Haboush| The Daily Star
BEIRUT: With a government expected to be formed within the next 48 hours, focus has shifted to the ministerial statement that will spell out the political and economic policies of Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri’s new Cabinet. “There are a lot of obstacles ahead of us … but that doesn’t mean we don’t have solutions. We need to work in an extraordinary way in the new government,” Hariri said at the opening of the Hilton Hotel in Downtown Beirut Thursday.
“There are big decisions that need to be made after the formation of the government.”
Speaker Nabih Berri told visitors at his Ain al-Tineh residence, that “there shouldn’t be any problems with agreeing on a new ministerial statement.” With a sharp divide between political parties over Hezbollah’s weapons outside the state’s control, Berri said that the language would be similar to past policy statements.
Rather than including Hezbollah’s controversial tripartite equation, “the Army, the people and the resistance,” something along the lines of underlining the citizens’ right to resist Israeli occupation of Lebanese territory is expected.
Ali Hasan Khalil, caretaker finance minister and Berri’s top political aide, made similar remarks Friday. “The government will be formed very soon, and there is an understanding that the ministerial statement will be based on that of the previous government, with some additions related to the reforms of CEDRE,” Khalil told reporters after meeting with Hariri.
As for Hariri’s third government, it is anticipated that he will meet Friday with President Michel Aoun and the six pro-Hezbollah Sunni MPs that have been blocking government formation.
“The six MPs will meet with Aoun and officially present the name of [Jawad Adra] to represent them in the government,” a Baabda Palace source told The Daily Star. The source said that Hariri would then consult with Aoun before meeting with the six MPs in the presence of the president. “It [the government] is in the final stages of being formed and it will culminate in a new Cabinet either tomorrow or Saturday,” a source close to Hariri told The Daily Star.
The “Consultative Gathering,” which had the backing of Hezbollah for the last month, seems to be unraveling. Despite this, the six MPs are scheduled to announce their official position on their nominee for a Sunni minister Friday morning. The anticipated candidate, Adra, was put forward by Berri and caused a divide within the six lawmakers, who have called themselves a group in recent months.
A Hezbollah MP confirmed to The Daily Star that Adra was close to Berri. However, Adra is reported to be closer to Aoun, Berri and Hariri than the pro-Hezbollah MPs.
Berri refused to attribute Adra to the March 8 political camp. “Are March 14 and March 8 still existent?” the speaker said.
With the new lineup inching toward completion, a few “retouches” need to be made, the source close to Hariri said.
Local media reported that the personal doctor of Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah had been Hezbollah’s choice for health minister. In an apparent effort to appease the West, Jamal Jabaq who is not an official member of the party will instead assume the post. Mahmoud Qmati will head the Youth and Sports Ministry while current minister Mohammad Fneish will be named minister of state for parliamentary affairs.
If things go to plan, Berri has said Parliament could hold a session for a confidence vote after Jan. 6. Asked when exactly Cabinet would be formed, Berri said: “Don’t ask; things are moving.” The speaker has only revealed the name of one of his three ministers – Khalil, who will retain his post.
Meanwhile, in another sign of Cabinet’s imminent formation, Richard Kouyoumjian of the Lebanese Forces arrived in Beirut Thursday. Kouyoumjian, who has lived abroad, was named by the LF to assume the Armenian Orthodox seat reserved for the party.
Hezbollah’s Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc expressed hope Thursday that the next government would be formed soon, saying its own ministers would prioritize the fight against corruption and pollution.
“The upcoming government will experience challenges, mainly [regarding] the economic situation,” a statement read, adding that the government’s work should be dedicated “to increasing development, lowering the [national] deficit and protecting the country’s security.”
Hezbollah’s ministers will in particular work to crack down on corruption and “those who do not comply with laws” that protect the environment.
Hezbollah was withholding submitting the names of its three ministers until the six MPs’ demand for Cabinet representation was met.
A last-minute snag over Armenian representation in the next government between the Tashnag Party and the Lebanese Forces has been resolved as well. After meeting Hariri, Tashnag head MP Hagop Pakradounian confirmed this.
“We spoke from here a month and a half ago saying that we would have a government within 48 hours, but today we are sure of that, and we tell the Lebanese people that we have reached the final moments. We don’t think that any detail could delay the formation of the new government,” he said.
Asked about the statement, he said: “The statement is almost ready. Parliamentary sessions will be held at the beginning of the new year to grant the government the confidence. The government will put the interest of the people and the interest of Lebanon above all considerations.”
Hariri also met with a delegation from JPMorgan to discuss Lebanon’s economic situation. The delegation was composed of the head of MENA region and CEO Sjoerd Leenart, the head of treasury services for the Middle East, Turkey and Africa Ali Moosa, and the General Manager of Corporate and Investment Banking for the Levant region Jossan Maalouf.
Separately French President Emmanuel Macron Thursday spoke about Lebanon for the second time in as many days. “France is working to ensure the stability and independence of Lebanon. I have held talks with the President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Saad Hariri, and we hope for a Lebanese government as soon as possible to strengthen cooperation between the two countries,” Macron tweeted in Arabic.