Mikati concludes consultations after hearing competing demands

BEIRUT: The competing demands of protecting the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and achieving national unity dominated Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikatis discussions Friday with MPs who relayed their demands vis-a-vis the formation of a new government.

Mikati wrapped up two days of consultations with parliamentary blocs on forming a new cabinet to replace caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariris national unity Cabinet, which collapsed on Jan. 12 after ministers of Hezbollah and its March 8 allies resigned in a dispute over the U.N.-backed STL. The non-binding consultations were held at Parliament in Nijmeh Square.

All March 14 lawmakers voiced support for the STL, which is probing the 2005 assassination of Hariris father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Beirut MP Imad Hout, who named Saad Hariri for prime minister, said after meeting Mikati that the new cabinets priority should be to close Lebanese ranks amid many dangers facing the country, led by the presence of the Zionist enemy on the southern border.

Hout, an official with Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, urged Mikati to precede the formation of a cabinet by leading a dialogue between rival factions to agree on a common plan to form a government of true national partnership, without the dividing up of [political] spoils. If this failed, Hout said he had asked Mikati to form a cabinet of technocrats with no political affiliations, to deal with cost-of-living and infrastructure problems.

Batroun MP Butros Harb, who voted for Hariri, said the March 14 coalition would not participate in the new cabinet if its policy statement contradicted the coalitions position on its support for the STL and disarming of non-state actors.

Beirut MP Tammam Salam, who voted for Hariri, described Mikati as a figure known for his middle-of-the road approach, moderation and patriotism. But can the prime minister-designate achieve this centrism and this moderation in the government formation? Salam asked after meeting Mikati.

Gi! ven the current political tension, Salam said the formation of a cabinet of technocrats could be the best option.

Western Bekaa MP Robert Ghanem and Tripoli MP Robert Fadel, who voted for Hariri, made no statements after their separate meetings with Mikati. Tripoli MP Qassem Abdel-Aziz, who voted for Hariri, urged Mikati to pledge to support the STL in the same way he has pledged to protect the resistance.

Chouf MP Dory Chamoun, who voted for Hariri, said Lebanon was protected by the umbrella of international legitimacy, hoping that the new government would take no action to remove this umbrella, referring to calls by Hezbollah and its March 8 allies to end Lebanons cooperation with the STL.

Aley MPs Henry Helou, Fouad Saad and Antoine Saad, who broke with Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and voted for Hariri, said their support for the next cabinet depended on the governments policy statement and proposals to tackle issues like the STL and arms held by non-state actors. A similar stance was voiced by Chouf MP Mohammad Hajjar, who voted for Hariri.

Beirut MPs Arthur Nazarian and Metn MP Hagop Pakradounian, who voted for Mikati, urged the formation of a broad-based government comprised of all the political parties, a stance echoed by another supporter of Mikati, Tripoli MP Ahmad Karami. We are not demanding a ministry post. We are only demanding consensus in the interest of the country and citizens, Karami said.

Zahle MP Nicolas Fattoush, who voted for Mikati, said he told Mikati the political crisis required a courageous, honest and responsible solution.

I gleaned from [Mikati] that there is no salvation for Lebanon except through constitutional institutions and the rule of law, which is the savior of the Lebanese, Fattoush said.

I finally told him that with love, cooperation and moderation, we can secure stability for Lebanon. The government would then deserve the label of a salvation government.