Govt. deadlock continues as Mikati, Bassil exchange blame
Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati will not replace Energy Minister Walid Fayyad in a new cabinet line-up reshuffle, Asharq al-Awsat newspaper said.
A political source told the daily, in remarks published Monday, that Mikati would only replace the economy minister and the minister of the displaced, and would study President Michel Aoun's suggestion to add six "acceptable" state ministers to the line-up.
Aoun, for his part, accepted the two ministers reshuffle only if he can name the two new ministers, the daily said. Mikati refused the suggestion.
Mikati and FPM chief Jebran Bassil had been exchanging blame for the obstruction of the government formation.
On Sunday, Mikati had said that the government will only be formed in accordance with the constitutional principles between the PM and the President only, in response to two statements issued by Bassil, both on Sunday, in which he accused the PM of obstructing the government formation and of dishonesty and corruption.
Mikati replied in two separate statements, holding Bassil accountable for the obstruction of the government formation in the first, and saying he will no longer reply to Bassil's accusations in the second.
Source: Naharnet
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