Conflicting Reports on Thursday's Cabinet Session as Sharp Differences Loom
The cabinet could possibly resume its meetings next Thursday without modifying its decision-making mechanism, but more likely with a change in the performance, after Prime Minister Tammam Salam received assurances that political parties have no intention to obstruct the government’s work, ministerial sources told al-Joumhouriya daily.
However, contacts between Salam and the ministers continue away from media spotlight, sources close to the PM told the daily on Saturday, but they reiterated that the final outcome on a cabinet session could be taking shape.
There are potentials that the Kataeb party chief Amin Gemayel and former president Michel Suleiman could visit the premier to discuss a date for holding a session, the sources added.
Kataeb sources have revealed earlier that Gemayel is ready for any initiative that facilitates the restoration of the cabinet activity within the standards set during the Yarze and Sin-el-fil meetings.
A grouping between Suleiman and seven cabinet ministers met twice, once in Yarze and another at Gemayel's residence in Sin el-Fil, where they stressed that the government must continue to run the affairs of the people and the state until a new president is elected.
The grouping fears that giving the cabinet more authorities in the absence of a head of state would erode the country's top Christian post.
In an earlier statement, Salam had accused some members of the cabinet, in reference to the grouping, of paralyzing the government for linking its work with the presidential elections despite their insistence that their aim is to back the PM.
Al-Liwaa daily also reported that any development regarding consensus on the government's mechanism have not been reached so far, but noted that the prospects of a Thursday government meeting are likely but that Salam has not taken a final decision in that regard yet, the daily quoted sources to the PM.
The differences between cabinet ministers on the amendment of the mechanism prompted Salam to suspend sessions in the past two weeks until the ministers reach an agreement on the formula, which he wants it to be based on article 65 of the constitution.
The article's clause five says: “The legal quorum for a council meeting shall be a two-thirds majority of its members. It shall make its decisions by consensus. If that is not possible, it makes its decisions by vote of the majority of attending members. Basic issues shall require the approval of two thirds of the members of the government named in the decree of its formation.”
The current mechanism, which was adopted after the cabinet assumed the responsibilities of the president in accordance with the constitution, states that ministers should give unanimous support to the government's decisions.
Meanwhile, Salam is expected to take part in an Economic summit to be held 13-15 March in Egypt's Sharm El-Sheikh, and he will join another Arab summit on the 28th of the same month.
He will also head to Kuwait on March 30 to participate in the donors conference to raise funds for U.N. humanitarian operations in war-torn Syria.
D.A.
H.K.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://cdn.naharnet.com/stories/en/169470 |