The Cabinet’s 1st Step: A Committee to Draft the Statement

Local Editor

In its first session held at the Baabda Palace under the chairmanship of Michel Suleiman, the Council of Ministers formed a committee to draft the ministerial statement under the chairmanship of PM Najib Mikati and membership of the Ministers: Charbel Nahhas, Chakib Kortbawi, Ali Qanso, Mohammed Safadi, Ali Hassan Khalil, Mohammed Fneish, Nazem Khoury, Wael Abu Faour, and Nicola Sahnawi, while the Minister Nicola Fattoush apologized for not participating in the committee. The Commission was invited to the meeting at 10:30 Thursday morning at the Grand Governmental Palace.

After the meeting, the Minister of Information Walid Daouk said that President Michel Suleiman said in the beginning of the meeting that "the government was hundred percent Lebanese in its birth following the Lebanese agenda without any foreign interference."
Suleiman congratulated PM Mikati to the length of his patience and perseverance to communicate with all parties.

Suleiman said that "We have become accustomed since the Taif Agreement to have a Syrian reference, but now Syria did not interfere and this is required. We In spite of the troubled atmosphere surrounding us, we trusted ourselves."

Surprised with the campaigns, Suleiman added "Even when President al-Assad called me to congratulate, they considered it interference in the government's formation."
On the non-participation of women in government, President Suleiman clarified that "we will be able to compensate that in many areas, especially on boards of directors, the first category appointing, and by giving them a quota to be agreed upon later."

Suleiman stressed that "the ministerial statement would be based on national principles, the Constitution, and the application of the Taif Agreement and those contained in the Oaths speech and my positions on national occasions."

Suleiman wished that "the ministers speed up in the receipt of their ministries and in starting work within each ministry, especially that we are at the doors of the summer season. He wished them to maintain the confidentiality of the deliberations in order to preserve the success of the Government's task."

On his part, PM Najib Mikati called put peoples' life as a priority. Mikati renewed the government's keenness on maintaining strong relations with all Arab and friendly countries, especially those that stood by our side in harsh conditions, the most important in our confrontation with the "Israeli" enemy.

Miqati pointed out that "there is a regional distribution imbalance that will be offset through the development work," stressing that "the sedition will not sneak to Sunni and Shiite communities and what happened is not retaliation from any sect."
"The government will not distinguish between the pro and cons, and it will work for the all through exercising its role away from malicious." Mikati added.

Mikati concluded by addressing the ministers and saying: "I know that each of you has his own political choices, but I know that inside each of you there is a desire and conviction for the benefit of the whole nation as well as for all the Lebanese are equal and it is our duty to treat them with justice and equality."

The session was preceded by a commemorative photo to the government with the participation of the three presidents and the absence of the resigned minister Talal Arslan.

Before the cabinet's session, a meeting took place between President Michel Suleiman and House Speaker Nabih Berri joined by Prime Minister Najib Mikati.