Miqati Calls Jumblat to Inform Him of Resignation and PSP Leader Rejects It
Intensive contacts were held overnight Friday-Saturday between Prime Minister Najib Miqati and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat and his ministers, during which Jumblat rejected Miqati's suggestion that he would submit his resignation, official sources said.
“Jumblat rejected Miqati's resignation out of fear of a governmental vacuum and the inability of any caretaker cabinet to control security should the situations deteriorate,” sources close to the premiership told the pan-Arab al-Hayat newspaper in remarks published Sunday.
“Only a few contacts were held with President Michel Suleiman via his entourage who communicated with some March 14 leaders, who noted that the absence of an alternative to the current government would push things to further deterioration as 'we would be killed and no one would hold the murderers accountable,'” the sources added.
They noted that consultations over Miqati's possible resignation continued until Saturday morning, when he met with the ministers of the National Struggle Front who later held talks with Suleiman ahead of the cabinet session.
“Suleiman said he does not mind that efforts be made to reach a settlement by forming a new government but stressed that the proper environment must be created before performing such a step,” the sources said.
News of a possible resignation by Miqati sparked the attention of some Western powers, with British Prime Minister David Cameron telephoning the premier overnight Friday, especially that Miqati had told some parties that he does not want to serve as a caretaker PM and that he would leave the country should he take the decision of stepping down.
The opposition March 14 camp has accused the Syrian regime of assassinating Internal Security Forces' Intelligence Bureau chief Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan in a massive car bombing on Friday, calling on Miqati to resign.
Miqati revealed on Saturday that he has taken the decision to “no longer hang on to the premiership,” urging the formation of a national unity government.
He said: “I suspended my decision to resign at President Michel Suleiman's request.”
He made his statements after an extraordinary cabinet session held at the Baabda Palace in wake of the assassination.
The premier explained that Suleiman requested a timeframe for him to consult with members of the national dialogue table over his decision not to remain in the premiership.
Miqati told reporters: “The request for a timeframe stems from a realization that Lebanon is facing a plan to create strife in the country.”
“This is a national issue and we are keen on an preserving the nation. We do not want to leave Lebanon in a vacuum,” he declared.
“Those who have placed personal gain over national interests have met a bad fate, such as exile or assassination,” he added.
“I call on the politicians to unite, set their differences aside, and make the formation of a new government an easy task,” demanded the premier.
On Hasan's murder, he revealed that cabinet decided to refer the case to the judicial council.
He also demanded that the Telecommunications Minister hand over the telecom data in the case, dating back to September 19, to the investigation.
“I do not want to jump to conclusions in the case, but we cannot separate Hasan's murder to that of the arrest of former Minister Michel Samaha,” Miqati noted.
Hasan was killed on Friday as his unmarked car crossed a street adjacent to the bustling Sassine Square in Ashrafiyeh in Beirut
Conflicting reports emerged over the number of dead in the blast with some sides putting the figure at three and others at eight.
At least a hundred people were wounded in the explosion.
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