Policy Statement to Avoid Confrontation with West, Appease Local Factions

The committee tasked with drafting the new cabinet’s policy statement agreed on its general framework and discussed controversial issues such as Lebanon’s international commitments and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, PM Najib Miqati’s sources said.

The sources told al-Mustaqbal daily on Friday that the committee agreed in its first meeting that each minister would prepare his own vision on the ministerial statement and would propose it during the next session.

The ministers also agreed during the meeting chaired by Miqati on Thursday to divide the policy statement into three broad categories: Political, and social issues, and the people’s needs.

Miqati’s visitors told An Nahar newspaper that the conferees expressed common viewpoints on the clauses that would set the cabinet’s stances from the international resolutions and the international tribunal.

They stressed that the prime minister does not want to put Lebanon in a confrontation with the international community, which means that the policy statement wouldn’t include clauses deemed provoking.

The ministerial statement would also appease all Lebanese political factions, the visitors said.

They expected it to be concise to avoid controversial explanations and said it would stress in its preamble on government’s keenness on the Taef, the constitution, Lebanon’s ties with Arab countries and the West and efforts to draft a new electoral law.

Furthermore, Miqati asked the ministers to suggest economic and development issues that should be made part of the policy statement.