Jumblat Says 'Enough Kidding with Aoun,' as Salam Returns for Consultations on Cabinet Crisis

Progressive Socialist Party chief MP Walid Jumblat slammed recent statements made by officials to strike a political settlement that would have resolved the cabinet crisis.

In remarks to An Nahar daily published on Thursday, Jumblat said: “I am monitoring the random remarks which aim at striking the political settlement that we were on the verge of reaching with MP Michel Aoun and which was thwarted the last minute.”

“Enough kidding with Aoun,” he said, adding “I understand his stance and let us stop making constitutional conclusions.”

Jumblat was referring to a deal that the political parties were going to strike on the promotion of military officers. But the agreement was thwarted after several officials launched scathing attacks on Aoun and accused him of making exaggerated demands.

Aoun, who heads the Change and Reform bloc, threatened on Tuesday to boycott the national dialogue chaired by Speaker Nabih Berri following reports that the deal included the appointment of a new Internal Security Forces chief and an ISF command council.

But several officials denied on Wednesday that the agreement on military promotions included an item on ISF appointments in an attempt to appease Aoun.

The accord includes the promotion of three senior army officers – a Maronite, a Shiite and a Sunni - among them Commando Regiment chief Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz, who is Aoun’s son-in-law, to the rank of major general.

Roukoz' promotion would keep him in the army and make him eligible to lead the military, Aoun's long-sought ambition.

In return for Roukoz becoming a major general, an agreement would be reached on the cabinet’s decision-making mechanism and the resumption of parliament sessions.

An Nahar quoted ministerial sources as saying that Prime Minister Tammam Salam will launch consultations with Berri upon his return from New York to decide on the date of a cabinet session.

The daily also quoted sources in al-Mustaqbal bloc as saying that Berri is exerting efforts to activate the parliament and the cabinet.