Salam: Cabinet Session Will Reveal True Intentions of Ministers

Prime Minister Tammam Salam stated that he postponed last week's cabinet session to this week in order to allow ministers to resolve their differences without any pressure, reported An Nahar daily on Tuesday.

He told the daily: “This week's session is a test to determine the true intentions of the ministers and determine whether they want the government to function.”

Cabinet is scheduled to meet on Thursday and will tackle the contentious issue of appointments at the Lebanese University.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat's ministers are expected to attend the session.

The MP had informed Salam, Health Minister Wael Abou Faour, and Education Minister Elias Bou Saab that he is ready to go ahead with the suggestion that calls for retaining Dr. Pierre Yared in his position as Dean of the Medical School even it takes place at the expense of Druze representation at LU.

Ministerial sources told An Nahar that the “only positive development” that Salam obtained was all the political powers' agreement to prevent their disputes at cabinet from obstructing its work.

They also revealed that the Free Patriotic Movement is still holding on to its candidate for the dean of the Medical School.

A cabinet row surfaced recently among ministers over differences on a decree on LU’s contract professors.

The government failed during its latest session held two weeks ago to approve the LU decree over differences between the representatives of different parties on the appointment of deans.

M.T.

H.K.