Delay in forming new Lebanese government, Hizbullah wants two ministerial bags
Lebanon, Politics, 7/5/2005

The formation of the first government in Lebanon after the Syrian withdrawal was delayed because of differences between the two trends of Saad al-Hariri and Michael Aoun who said he will not take part in the new government.

The Lebanese Shiite Hizbullah party said that it wants to be directly represented in the government, in an unprecedented request in the history of the Lebanese governments.

It was due by the beginning of this week that the designated prime minister Fouad al-Sanyoura, who is close to al-Hariri family, to form a government that includes the parliamentary bloc of Michael Aoun and his allies ( 21 parliamentarians out of the total 128 members of the Lebanese parliament.) The agreement between Hariri who presides over "al-Mustaqbal trend," the largest parliamentarian bloc with 37 parliamentarians and Michael Aoun on top of the "free national trend " could not last long.

Al-Sanyoura who belongs to al-Mustaqbal trend told the press on Monday evening in Beirut that "it is impossible to meet the demands set by Michael Aoun concerning ministries Aoun's trend wants to assume.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Saad al-Hariri announced following final negotiations that Aoun's requests concerning ministries he demanded could not be met.

During the consultations, "the Free National Trend" stressed desire for the ministry of justice so as to be able to implement the reform program and fight corruption. However, Saad al-Hariri stressed to have this ministry while the UN Investigation Committee continued its work in Beirut in order to disclose the implications of the assassination of his father the late former Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri in February.

On the other hand, observers describe the participation of Hizbullah in the next government as mostly evident. In this regard, the chairman of the Hizbullah parliamentary bloc ( 14 parliamentarian) Muhammad Raad said it has become the right of the party to take part directly and not only through allies in the process of decision taking. In this context member of this bloc parliamentarian Muhammad Fannish asked for two ministerial bags in the new Lebanese government.

Previous Stories:
  Lebanese personalities condemn the Israeli aggression on Lebanon   (7/2/2005)
  Lahoud: Lebanon will meet its requirements   (7/2/2005)
  Sanyoura underlines necessity of boosting Syrian-Lebanese relations   (7/2/2005)
  Sanyoura consultations to form government   (7/2/2005)

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