Aoun Thwarts Quorum, Rejects STL Funding
Although Lebanon's sky isn't spreading too much of white color this year, the Lebanese snowball of crisis is rolling and growing up day after day.
Prime Minister Najib Mikati threatened to resign if the Special Tribunal of Lebanon isn't financed from Lebanon.
Meanwhile, ministers of "Change and Reform Bloc" were absent from the scene of yesterday's meeting
In a clear expression of the depth of the crisis, doubts are raised about the backgrounds of the Mikati move, its timing, reflections, as well as regional and internal consequences.
However political circles are waiting the speech of the Secretary General of Hizbullah His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in the Ashura Council Saturday night, to settle the pending debate.
Aoun: We Fear Nothing, Let Them Leave
The Lebanese government didn't hold its Friday supposed meeting as nine ministers of "Change and Reform Bloc" boycotted the session thus thwarting the quorum.
Reiterating his rejection to STL funding, General Michel Aoun asked "all those who fear their foreign interests to leave the government."
During a dinner ceremony in Jbeil, Aoun said that "we refuse and will keep on refusing what the STL demands from Lebanon since it is not right to always submit to foreign interests."
"They cannot impose on Lebanon what they want and I am ready again to risk myself rather than risking Lebanon," Aoun stressed.
Addressing those who fear for their financial situation and foreign interests, the former PM advised them to "leave the governance to the poor because they fear nothing."
Calling PM to give back the money which he falsely paid in case the STL was funded, Aoun added that "we will not be terrified by all the games being played."
"Our priorities are to give the Lebanese people Electricity 24 hours a day, and it is our duty to make irrigation and water projects," Aoun concluded.
In an interview with OTV earlier Friday Aoun said that his ministers' position of not attending the ministerial session did not come as a response to PM.
For his part, Mikati commented on the ministers' move by saying "the current circumstances are extremely complicated and sensitive, and consequently cannot endure any adventures or bets that constitute a gateway for a further split in the country."
"If the ministers' statements were meant to try to create new norms at the expense of the balance laid down by the Taif Accord and consecrated by the Lebanese Constitution, or weaken the prime minister's constitutional powers, this matter is entirely out of the question under any circumstances," Mikati said in a statement issued by his media office Friday night.
Berri into Governmental Consultations
"As-Safir" Lebanese newspaper reported Saturday that Aoun is to chair a meeting of his Bloc Saturday to come out with a decision on participating in the government's session aiming to settle the issue of STL financing next Wednesday.
In parallel, Energy Minister Gebran Bassil told "an-Nahar" that "the bloc is seriously examining whether or not our remaining in the government is useful."
For its part "al-Akhbar" daily informed that political consultations were held all day long until well into the night," noting that " they failed to lead to any results other than the fact that the government will fall by next Wednesday at the latest unless a still-unlikely solution comes up before then.
In this context, newspapers revealed that Speaker Nabih Berri stepped in on Friday to resolve the government crisis.
"Berri held talks with Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's political aid, Hussein Khalil, and Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil in Ain el-Tineh on Friday night," "as-Safir" learned
The minister Khalil later met with President Michel Suleiman and PM Mikati "to discuss the future of the government."
Media reports said Khalil informed Suleiman that Berri stresses the "cohesion of the government."
The speaker is expected to make a stance on the government crisis during a speech at a ceremony organized by Amal movement at the UNESCO palace in Beirut.
Wages Unsolved:
At another Lebanese concern, the General Workers Union and the private sector failed again Friday to reach a common understanding on the ceilings of higher wages, prompting Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas to take his proposals to the government.
At the conclusion of the Price Index Committee meeting, Nahhas said deliberations at the committee failed to reach an agreement.
Despite the failure of the Price Index Committee deliberations, Nahhas said he would forward the committee's comments to the ministerial session.
He said he hoped the government would still adopt a comprehensive wage increase including the controversial universal health-care plan. Nahhas emphasized the issue would be a crucial subject at the meeting.
"The economic and social destiny of four million citizens is more important than any other issue, including funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon," he said.
Source: Lebanese newspapers, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
