How was the Lebanese Gov’t Formed? Secrets from the Tripartite Prolonged Meeting

Mariam Ali

After the formation of PM Mikati's second government and on the eve of a commemorative picture of members of the new Cabinet at Baabda Palace, the Lebanese news papers highlighted details of the final hours that led to the production of government, particularly the dialogue between the three presidents in the Baabda Palace.

These titles were the focus of the concerns of the newspapers:

"Al- akhbar" news paper said that "after the formation of his government, Mikati went to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah and to get the divine satisfaction, and to assure Saudi Arabia that he does not want to overcome it. Mikati left the wound of Lebanese Democratic Party leader Talal Areslan, unattended, while Hizbullah made relentless attempts to resolve the issue."
Among the proposals suggested by Hizbullah was the relinquishing of its Agriculture Ministry post, allotted to Minister Hussein Hajj Hassan, in favor of Areslan, an offer rejected by Areslan.
"I refuse a solution at the expense of the resistance," Areslan told Al-Akhbar.
Areslan hinted that he would not mind another member of his party being given a portfolio in Mikati's government.

For its part "an- Nahar" focused on the international positions revealing the extent the government is being carefully watched. Members of "March 14" have described the government as the result of Syrian influence and Hizbullah's potential.
"An-nahar" described the path that the Cabinet intends to seek: the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 and related resolutions, and how the government would deal with the new opposition.

Diplomatic sources told "an-Nahar" that external influence played an essential role in the birth of the government and will continue to play a key role in determining both its path and fate.

Sources said Mikati, during talks with world powers, said that the general trend of the ministerial statement is to stick to the paragraph in the policy statement of Saad Hariri's government about Hizbullah arms while keeping in mind the "People, army, resistance" equation. The policy statement will also ensure commitment to international resolutions and to not abolishing the protocol signed between Lebanon and the STL in order to avoid a confrontation with the international community, pending issuance of the indictment into the assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri, the sources added.

Meanwhile "as-safir" insisted that "if the formation of the government passed throes of difficulties that lasted for several months, it can be said that the tripartite prolonged meeting which was held at the Baabda Palace between presidents Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri and PM Najib Mikati, Monday afternoon, was the hardest part that wouldn't have allowed the birth if Berri didn't pick out of his sleeve the "magic rabbit solution"."

In details, the PM Mikati insisted Sunday night to go to Baabda Palace the following day, to announce the formation of a government of 24 ministers, i.e. a mixture of realism and imposing facts... He made his decision that the government should be announced on Monday no matter the cost and time this takes especially that he began to feel that the cost of vacuum has become more severe than the cost of forming a government, no matter how bad its formula was.

According to the newspaper, as Mikati was arriving to Baabda Palace, President Berri was preparing to leave his home in "Ain el teeneh" to his office, located in the same building, wearing sports clothes in the absence of official appointments. Few moments passed before someone informed him that the designate president is- in the meantime- meeting with President Michel Suleiman. However, Berri did not stop much at this news taking into consideration that Mikati is used to visit the President from time to time.

The newspaper added, "Shortly after, the image changed with the tone of telephone ringing rang in Berri's office. President Suleiman addressed the President of the Council by saying: "if you please, come to the palace ... PM Mikati and I are waiting for you."
Berri Speaker: "Is this an emergency case, Mr. President?"
Suleiman replied, "We will speak when you come."

The paper said that on his way, Berri repeated the fan of prospects that may be waiting for him, among which is facing an imposed government.
The usual road works in Hazmieh, forced Berri's convoy to reduce its speed because of the traffic jam allowing the President of the Council to think of options available to him.
Suddenly, the that idea of giving a seat cabinet in favor of Faisal Karami to save the government sparked in Berri's mind... Reaching a conviction that this idea doesn't not complain with any constitutional breach, but rather with a just inherited tradition, he decided to submit it to the Presidents Suleiman and Mikati when necessary.

The newspaper pointed out, that the two presidents Suleiman and Mikati told Berri, as he entered the Baabda Palace, "we agreed to form a government of 24 ministers, and we want you to look upon the names."
Berri addressed Mikati: "Keep it with you... Mr. President. I do not want to read them. We agreed on a government of thirty ministers, is not it?"
"I understand that you left the Ministers of State away of the list?" asked Berri.
"That is true" Mikati said.

"By this, you are going to lose the majority and therefore your government will not gain confidence, and that means we will come back to the zero point." Berri confirmed.
Mikati asked, "How could this happen?"
Berri explained "count with me ... Minister Nicola Fattoush, the Minister of Syrian Social Nationalist Party, Minister Talal Areslan, and even General Aoun, who will lose the Ministers of State. All these people would not give the Government confidence, knowing that I have there is no personal problem because my shares do not include Ministers of State, but you will face a problem with the majority as a whole."

The newspaper quoted Mikati as saying, "I do not handle the current status and I will not get out of here unless the government is established. I do not accept that some continue in attacking me and in saying that I'm getting dictates from abroad, and that I am subjected to outside pressures."

Berri wondered "How if you were me ... I've been the subject for a violent campaign of "March 14" since a while. These days, they have nothing to do but Nabih Berri... This is normal in Lebanon and should not affect you."
Then, according to the newspaper, the President Suleiman intervened "the government issue must be resolved today,"
Berri: "A government of 24 ministers cannot be applied walk ... haven't we agreed on the principle of 30 ministers government?"
After discussion, the position of Suleiman and Mikati has become more receptive to the government of 30 ministers, making the debate move to another stage.
Then, Berri asked, "Is the name of Faisal Karami in the list?"
"No ... his name is not listed," Mikati replied.

Berri said, "But you had told me that the two Karamis (Ahmed and Faisal) are to be ministers."
Here, Mikati interrupted by saying: "your story is incomplete, I've already told you that there are two options, either Faisal and Ahmad Karami together ... Or to make PM Omar Karami, name a representative of the Sunni opposition either than Faisal,"
"That is true," Berri added.

"What happened is that there is no there the possibility to implement any of these options," Berri said, "but there is a commitment from Sayyed Nasrallah, Aoun, and me to have Faisal Karami as a minister" Berri explained.

Mikati answered: "In this case, Tripoli is to be represented by four ministers, which means that the representation of Beirut will be limited to one minister, and this cannot be accepted."
The paper reported that at this moment the House Speaker decided to blow up his bomb here that he prepared in the car, on his way to the presidential palace. So, he addressed Mikati and asked: "Do you have alternatives to resolve al- Karamis node."
By receiving a negative answer from Mikati, Berri said "I have the alternative. I have three bags, Foreign Affairs, Health, Youth and Sports; I'm ready to abandon one in favor of Faisal Karami."
According to the newspaper, "Suleiman and Mikati were surprised with Berri's proposal and showed signs of astonishment. There was silence for a moment, on the impact of the unexpected surprise, and started the debate then again."

Berri answered the President's question on the constitutionality of this idea, by stressing that "there is no constitutional provision inconsistent with this idea... there was a prevalent custom since the Mandate days o and I want to break it."
Suleiman and Mikati then asked Berri "Does the Shiite community accept this proposal, and can you tolerate its results in your sect?"

Berri replied in confidence "I have endured in the past what is harder than this i.e. when I agreed on optional civil marriage. Then, I want to test my leadership in the Shiite community, and I take personally the consequences of this test."

Mikati repeated the question: "Isn't this contrary to the idea of principality?"
Berri answered: "When the Shiite ministers resigned from the government of Fouad Siniora, I asked him to appoint and at least one Shia minister to save the Pact ... Today, five Shiite ministers would be in your government. Then, it had happened in the past to form a quad government without any Shia minister, in order to prevail, and today I want to give up a Shia minister for the Lebanese Supreme interest."

After about 45 minutes of debate on this point, Berri said to went to Suleiman: "Your Excellency Mr. President ... Out of respect I need to leave because I feel that I am repeating myself."

In this context, the newspaper reports that Suleiman looked at Mikati and said: "I think that Berri's proposal is the last solution."
And when Mikati asked Berri to have a look on his modified paper for the government, Berri refused telling Mikati as the former was leaving "I would like to draw your attention that I gave to Faisal Karami a ministerial bag, and not any minister of state."

The newspaper pointed out that before he leaves, Berri told the President that he will close all his telephone lines until the issuance of the government. However, on the way back, Berri phoned his political aide MP Ali Hassan Khalil and asked him to ask the political aide of the Secretary General of Hizbullah Haj Hussein al-Khalil to immediately join him to "Ain Teene".
According to the newspaper, Berri explained the details of his proposal to al- Khalil insisting: that he will take this position on his own responsibility and by his own chest and that Hizbullah is not obliged to do the same if it doesn't agree with the proposal.

However, Berri received a latter letter from Nasrallah confirming his support to the proposal.
Mean while, the Minister Ghazi Aridi called Berri, at the request of the Leader of the "National Struggle Front" MP Walid Jumblatt, to clarify the truth of the rumors about his intention to waive a ministerial Shiite seat in favor of Faisal Karami. Surprised with the leaking of the news, Berri asked Aridi: "Where did you get this news from?"
He replied: "Walid Jumblatt told me."

The newspaper pointed out that with the announcement of the government, President Bashar al-Assad contacted the Lebanese President praising the formula that allowed the cabinet's formation. It appeared from al-Assad words that he believed that Hizbullah is behind the last minute solution.

However, Suleiman confirmed that Berri is the proposer of the solution and it was nearly four in the afternoon when Assad contacted Berri praising his step that won't have implications only on Lebanon, but on Syria and the region as a whole.