Outcome of Aoun-Miqati Meetings 'Neither Negative Nor Positive'

The outcome of the meetings that Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati held with President Michel Aoun in recent days is “neither negative nor positive,” informed sources have said.

While Miqati has said that he refuses to set a certain deadline for himself, the sources told al-Akhbar newspaper that he “understands well the challenges that the country is facing and accordingly comprehends the cost of any delay in the cabinet formation process.”

The daily meanwhile noted that the recent positive atmosphere “has not concealed the dispute that was quickly highlighted by the format that Miqati has presented for the distribution of portfolios.”

“Adding the interior portfolio to the Sunni share while allocating justice to Christians means that he is submitting a formula that is rejected by Aoun in advance, something that the latter has clearly expressed, although the two sides prefer to keep the dispute behind closed doors,” the newspaper said.

And as sources concerned with the formation process stressed that “the discussions have not yet reached the names phase,” Miqati himself called in an interview with MTV for giving him “a little chance to exit the dilemma.”

Asked whether Aoun might give him “what he did not give to Hariri,” the PM-designate said: “Concessions are given for the interest of the country and no one takes or gives something from themselves… We are talking about running a country.”