PSP seeks naming of chief of staff as Mikati-Slim tensions resurface

Holding a final Cabinet session this year hinges on the possibility of reaching an agreement to name a new chief of staff and two military council members, governmental sources told al-Liwaa newspaper.

The Democratic Gathering is exerting efforts to secure the appointment of the chief of staff before the end of the year and a delegation from it has visited MP Tony Franjieh of the Marada Movement, which has three ministers in the government, in a bid to facilitate the appointment of a chief of staff in Cabinet, the daily said.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has meanwhile sent a new memo to caretaker Defense Minister Maurice Slim, asking him to submit proposals for filling the vacant military posts.

Slim responded by saying that he is awaiting the result of the appeal filed by the Free Patriotic Movement against the law that extended the term of Army chief Joseph Aoun and that he would be willing to help fill the aforementioned vacancies in the wake of that, the newspaper added.

In the beginning of Tuesday’s Cabinet session, Mikati had informed ministers of the memo that he had sent to Slim two days earlier.

“After Mikati recited the memo that he sent to Defense Minister Maurice Slim, one of the ministers suggested that a direct contact take place between Mikati and Minister Slim,” al-Liwaa said.

“Mikati responded that the premiership cannot be insulted,” the daily added.

“The moment Maurice Slim came to the Grand Serail and started shouting, I considered that he was finished to me and that from that moment dealing with him would become formal and through memos,” al-Liwaa quoted Mikati as telling ministers.