BEIRUT: Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) Head MP Walid Jumblatt reconsidered Sunday his alliance with the March 14 Forces, saying “it was driven by necessity and must end.”
Opposition leaders, meanwhile, reiterated on Sunday their optimism regarding the formation of the cabinet within days, while March 14 figures highlighted the need to grant the government monopoly over war or peace decisions, a reference to Hizbullah’s struggle with Israel.
At the opening of the PSP general assembly at the Beaurivage Hotel in Beirut, Jumblatt stressed on the need to reconsider forming a new alliance “free of bias.”
The PSP leader slammed the March 14 electoral campaign, saying it was “driven by the rejection of the opposition on sectarian, tribal and political levels rather than being based on a political platform.”
Responding to Jumblatt’s comments, the Future Movement issued a statement saying that the March 14 Forces had never rejected the opposition, adding that ruling majority’s slogan would be always be “Lebanon First.”
“The June 7 parliamentary elections led to sectarian alliances which should be eliminated,” Jumblatt said, adding that the “polls result should not be considered a win.”
The March 14 Forces won a majority of 71 seats in Parliament in the June polls.
Jumblatt, who stressed the need to abolish political sectarianism, emphasized the necessity of good Lebanese-Syrian bilateral ties following the end of Syria’s mandate in Lebanon, a reference to the withdrawal of Syrian troops from the country in 2005 following the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Regarding ongoing investigation into Hariri’s assassination, Jumblatt voiced hope that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) would uncover the truth behind the crime, “without foreign powers meddling and influencing its decisions or results.”
Jumblatt, who said he regretted holding talks with US officials in 2006, justified his meetings by saying that they aimed to protect the STL as well as Lebanon’s independence.
The PSP leader held talks alongside other March 14 leaders with US officials from former President Georges W. Bush’s administration prior, during and following the summer 2006 Israel war on Lebanon.
Also criticizing the current electoral law, Jumblatt’s political foe Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun said in his editorial published on his party’s website on Sunday that the adopted law in the June 7 polls “was the worst.”
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said Sunday that the new national-unity cabinet would be formed “within days.”
In remarks published in the Kuwaiti daily Awan on Sunday, Berri reiterated that the agreement between the opposition and the parliamentary majority on the cabinet’s make-up was concluded and discussions currently focused on the distribution of ministerial portfolios.
“The government formation will be complete within days, the most difficult part has been finalized and we were left with ministerial portfolios,” Berri said.
Highlighting the importance of a national-unity cabinet, Berri said either coalition, “the March 14 and the opposition, cannot rule on their own and must bear the country’s responsibilities together.”
The speaker added that the progress made with regard to the accord among Lebanese groups on the government makeup was the result of Syrian-Saudi harmony.
Berri denied claims of a possible Lebanese-Syrian-Saudi summit in Damascus following the formation of the cabinet.
However, he said that Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri had “no problem” visiting Syria either before or following the cabinet-formation process.
Sharing the speaker’s optimism, his opposition ally, Hizbullah’s Loyalty to Resistance bloc head MP Mohammad Raad said Sunday the formation process could speed up following an agreement on the political framework of a national-unity government.
During a ceremony in the southern village of Houmin, Raad stressed that the political framework of the upcoming cabinet guaranteed real partnership among Lebanese factions.
“The cabinet’s formation was almost finalized and the only obstacles yet to overcome were the distribution of portfolios and the nomination of ministers,” Raad said.
Meanwhile, Phalange Party MP Elie Marouni accused the FPM leader on Sunday of hindering the cabinet’s formation given his demands regarding the distribution of ministerial portfolios and the nomination of ministers.
Marouni stressed that opposition parties were “distributing roles” with regards to demands concerning the cabinet’s formation, adding that no real disagreements existed between their groups.
Concerning the timing of the national dialogue, Marouni rejected holding sessions before the cabinet was formed, adding that no positive impact would result if Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah continued to refuse to discuss the party’s weapons.
The Phalange MP also urged Hariri to form a majority cabinet if the opposition planned to obstruct the upcoming government’s decision-making process.
