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Muhammad Choucair wrote in Asharq Al-Awsat:
Political sources were surprised by what was reported in the last two days, that the last session of the consultations that took place between President Michel Aoun and the president in charge of forming the new government, Saad Hariri, hit a dead end because the latter insisted on appointing only Christian ministers, refusing to let Aoun be a partner in the election deliberations. Ministers
These sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that what is leaked from time to time does not reflect the reality of the atmosphere that prevailed in most of the meetings that took place between them, before the consultations returned to zero. Political sources pointed out that there is no truth in everything that was said, that Hariri refuses to discuss with Aoun the names of the Muslim ministers of Shiites, Sunnis and Druzes, and said that he had raised the names of the ministers with him in previous sessions. nominated to enter the government, all of them from the Islamic sects, and from specialists and independents. They do not belong to the parties.
She revealed that Aoun continues to insist that he has the exclusive right to elect Christian ministers, and this contradicts the powers that the Lebanese constitution has assigned to the designated prime minister, who is constitutionally authorized to sign the decree in agreement with the president of the Republic. The same sources confirmed that Hariri had initiated, in the first session of the authorship consultations, to ask Aoun to participate in the private deliberations to elect ministers from all Lebanese sects, and said that Hariri explicitly told him that he is not opposed to elect ministers from the Sunni community, provided they meet the specifications. What is required for the formation of an important government that unreservedly adopts the French initiative in its entirety, since it constitutes the only stage of salvation to save Lebanon and stop its financial and economic collapse.
He denied all reports that Hariri had agreed with the “Shiite duo”, specifically the Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, and also with the “Progressive Socialist” party led by Walid Jumblatt, on the names of the ministers who would represent them. in government, in addition to the ministerial portfolios that will be assigned to these ministers. He said that the discussion with them was limited to limiting the discussion to the general framework that will be taken into account to form the government, and is specifically related to the ministers being competent, independent and nonpartisan.
These sources said that the only agreement between Berri and Hariri was limited to excluding the Finance Ministry from implementing the rotation in the distribution of bags among the Lebanese sects, as long as it remained from the participation of the Shiites for once, and they confirmed that Hariri He did not agree with the President of Parliament on the names that the latter proposed to take over this ministry. .
He considered that the Free Patriotic Movement is not allowed to resort to sectarianization of the ongoing consultations between Aoun and Hariri to form a government, inciting Christians, which led to the presentation of its president, deputy Gebran Bassil, as a victim of the confiscation of the right of Christians to choose their ministers. He said that the deliberations between the two presidents did not proceed to consult the names of Christian ministers until after they had ended in previous meetings with the names of Muslim ministers.
In this context, the same sources asked why Aoun had to withdraw the names of some of the specialized and competent Christian ministers after Hariri accepted them. Did your review of your candidacy for Carol Ayat, to take charge of the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, fall under the urgency of Basil, who was nominated to take charge of this portfolio by one of his advisers who currently works in the Ministry of Energy?
And while sources avoided revealing some of the names of Bassil’s proposed candidates to take over the ministerial portfolios, they said instead that they prefer not to get into a discussion with him about most of these names that are among his. advisory team.
And he considered that the mere retraction of Aoun indicates that the decision to nominate ministers remains exclusive to the authority of the “shadow president.” Basil, who wants to confiscate Christian representation in the government, thinking that he is protecting himself with the unconditional support of his ally, Hezbollah, in the face of the sanctions imposed by the United States, and thus wants to control the third-party obstructor in the government, to broadcast a message that these sanctions will not affect their political future. As long as he is the difficult figure in the political equation, and therefore there will be no government unless he gives it his blessing.
He said Hariri remains in office, and will not allow a Christian team to appoint Christian ministers, because his mere approval should apply to spokesman Berri and other political forces in terms of appointing whoever represents them in government, and that means handing him over to the criteria. previous that governed the formation of governments, and emphasized that he does not know the reasons. What was behind Aoun’s withdrawal of his approval for the government to consist of 18 ministers.
These sources noted that Hariri does not intend to head the government, letting others elect ministers, and attributed the reason to that such a government would bring about an Arab and international downfall, and could not be marketed to the international community to urge him to provide financial support. and economic to Lebanon to stop its slide into the abyss. He said the pretext for part of Hariri’s submission to American pressure is nothing more than an attempt to flee forward, especially since he had previously insisted on the need to form an independent, non-party government immediately after the the resignation of his government was presented, and Washington did not have any pressure role that forced him to raise this position.
The same sources ruled out that Bassil had the ability to mobilize the Christian street, and it was he who involved Aoun in confrontations with all parties without exception, and therefore he would not meet anyone who would answer him, and this was clearly demonstrated his lack of solidarity with him in the face of US sanctions even from “the people of the house.” And he has no choice but to punish the country and prevent it from forming a new government, although Aoun prioritizes floating it.
Therefore, sources believe that Bassil will not be able to impose his conditions for the advent of a government similar to the government of President Hassan Diab, and in the image of most of the ministers he elected, including Sunni ministers, and is now clashing with the position. of Hariri, who will choose the opportune moment to break his silence, but after Paris ends the contacts. The State Department is doing this so that it can determine its position under the roof of its commitment to the French initiative.
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