Electricity Consultations Continues, Mikati to a Consensual Solution
Mariam Ali
As the Islamic World enters Eid al- Fotor vacation with various political changes, Lebanese political circles pass into the same vacation but with a vague scene.
Fake indictment, campaign against Army, Syria's developments, and electricity plan are continuous topics to be brought back to the Lebanese recipe after vacation.
Electricity Consultations:
Serious governmental consultations are launched Monday regarding the electricity issue.
Lebanese newspapers reported that Prime Minister Najib Mikati is to start a series of contacts to discuss the file in question.
For his part, The Minister of Economy Nicola Nahhas conducted a round of consultations during the past two days in the same issue.
Nahhas confirmed Monday that Mikati tasked him with bridging differences among top officials on electricity.
Minister declared to "as-Safir" Lebanese daily that "he met with President Michel Suleiman and "National Struggle Front" leader Jumblatt in the past few days and he would hold talks with other officials on Monday and after Eid al-Fitr holidays."
Rejected to unveil the suggestions he would make in his meetings, Nahhas emphasized that "we are searching for a solution to the electricity (crisis). We are not seeking to make gains or political victories."
A well-informed ministerial source told "an-Nahar" newspaper that Nahhas would meet with Public Works Minister Ghazi Aridi and Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour on Monday.
"Minister Ali Hassan Khalil and the political aide to the Secretary General of Hizbullah, Hussein Khalil, will contact the MP Walid Jumblatt trying to know his roof of approval to pass the electricity draft," "al-Akhbar" Lebanese daily said Monday.
Mikati Trusts Bassil, To Act on STL False Witnesses
In the same context, PM Mikati called that a consensual solution should be found before the governmental session scheduled to be held on Sept. 7."
In an interview with "as-Safir", Mikati stressed that "the government should put some make-up on the face of the electricity bill."
Noting that he has complete trust in the Minister of Energy Gibran Bassil, PM remarked that "he neither intends nor accepts to discredit him since he fully understands his file."
"My position aims at taking advantage of the opportunity of opening debate to improve some aspects of the electricity plan and we are currently seeking to find a way that would be acceptable for all of us , and that reconciles between the necessary controls and the effort made by the Minister of Energy," "as-Safir" quoted Mikati.
Rejecting the "ministers- electricity" equation, PM clarified that "accepting it would create a dangerous precedence on the level of institutional work."
"Any minister could later threaten that he would quit if the cabinet doesn't approve his project," he said.
Mikati told "as-Safir" that "differences between ministers prove that the government is not one-sided."
Mikati, who returned Saturday from Saudi Arabia, told reporters following talks with former Prime Minister Omar Karami in Tripoli that "ministerial discussions over electricity were constructive."
"A constructive discussion is taking place over the electricity issue in a bid to provide electricity in the best way, in compliance with regulations and with full transparency," Mikati said, accompanied by Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi.
Mikati sources told "al-Akhbar" that the visit comes in the framework of strengthening ties with Karami, pointing out that Mikati, who did not make it to a recent iftar held by Karami, saw that the visit was aimed at making up for not attending the iftar, check on Karami's well-being and congratulate him on Eid al-Fitr."
Asked about his visit to Saudi Arabia, PM said that he heard "very acceptable remarks from Saudi officials whom he met there as he performed the Omra."
On the Special Tribunal for Lebanon's developments, Mikati announced Monday that "the government is following up the course of the international tribunal."
"If it turns out that it relied on the testimony of false witnesses then we would act," he emphasized.
In the same context, Energy Minister Gibran Bassil told "as-Safir" daily that "he is ready to give more explanations to ministers on the electricity project to find the suitable solution to the crisis."
However, he warned that his party wasn't ready to make major compromises on the draft law.
"No settlement could be reached on the plan," he said.
Bassil's fellow "NSF" Minister, Wael Abou Faour, informed the same paper that "a solution should be reached ahead of Sept 7 ministerial meeting to approve the project."
"Some suggestions have been made to find a solution to the technical and financial issues," he said, adding that "suggestions are not a challenge to any political group."
Meanwhile, President Suleiman visited Sunday MP Jumblatt at the Mukhtara palace, following talks on Saturday between the two men at the Beiteddine Palace.
Talks in Mukhtara tackled the latest political developments in Lebanon and the region, National News Agency reported.
Mansour: AL Supposed to Send a Delegation, Not to Release a Statement on Syria
Parallel to the Lebanese internal developments, Syria remained the center of attention for the Lebanese and Arabs.
Lebanon revoked its recognition of the statement issued by the Arab League which met the western pressure on Damascus calling the Syrian authorities to respond to what the statement described as people's political and social demands with mentioning any position on the armed terrorist gangs.
Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour said on Monday the Arab League Ministerial council has decided to send its Chief Nabil al-Arabi to Damascus to launch dialogue with the Syrian regime.
Noting that "the statement issued by the general secretariat of the Arab Leagues wasn't discussed nor agreed upon during the FMs' meeting," Mansour denied that "Lebanon has disavowed itself from the statement because of the Syrian position in the league."
"The ministerial meeting discussed the latest developments in Syria and ended with an agreement that no statement would be published or made to the press," Mansour explained to "al-Liwaa" newspaper.
He added that "Lebanon's stance during the Arab FMs' meeting wasn't in harmony with the Syrian position, but to clarify that the Cairo meeting didn't discuss a statement about Syria."
"The purpose of the meeting was aimed at solving the crisis in Syria without meddling in its affairs," Mansour stressed.
Mansour said: "I was surprised by the secretariat statement, and I wanted to clarify what happened. But this isn't linked to the Syrian stance."
"Some Arab countries with its well-known positions of the Syrian events failed to make a decision in the Arab League in their attempt to form a prelude and a bridge to a new American trial to pass a Security Council resolution against Damascus, and this poses more than one question on top is: Did some Arabs turn to be a bridge to the new colonialism?" "al-Binna" Lebanese paper stated.
Source: Lebanese newspapers
