Aoun renews ultimatum, warns of street protests

Source: Daily Star, 23-01-2008
BEIRUT: As the country braces for the opposition's promised escalation on January 27 by taking to the streets in the event the Arab foreign ministers' meeting in Cairo fails to address the Lebanese political crisis effectively, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa has promised to return to Beirut before that date to continue his efforts to reach an agreement between rival factions.
Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Saltanov met with Syrian officials in Damascus on Tuesday, declaring his country's support for Arab efforts to resolve the Lebanese impasse. "We consider this initiative gives the Lebanese the opportunity to determine how they will order their house and elect a new president," Saltanov said.
Saltanov met with Syrian Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa, Foreign Minister Walid Moallem and Deputy Foreign Minister Faysal Mekdad. Mekdad said he was certain that Moussa would continue his mediation efforts to help resolve the Lebanese crisis. "There is one interpretation to the Arab initiatiative, that no party have the power to hinder or monopolize government," he said.
Change and Reform Bloc leader MP Michel Aoun has insisted the opposition be given a third-plus-one of Cabinet posts in a new national unity government; otherwise they will take to the streets. "We want 11 ministers so we do not go down to the street," Aoun said in an interview with As-Safir newspaper published Tuesday.
Aoun rejected Moussa's interpretation of the Arab initiative, accusing the Arab League boss of scuttling the Arab initiative by proposing a 13+10+7 distribution of Cabinet posts that only gives the opposition 10 ministers in a new government. He said that even if this interpretation is the Arab League's official position on the initiative "it changes nothing in our position ... We reject the interpretation even if it meets with Arab approval."
He said the text of the Arab initiative was clear: "We can read Arabic well." Aoun asked why the majority constantly "plays with numbers," at times offering a 19+10+1 formula and then offering a 13+10+7 formula, neither of which he said comply with the initiative.
Aoun said he told Moussa that the best distribution of Cabinet posts in a new national unity government would be one that mirrors the current distribution of parliamentary seats between the majority and opposition. "The majority would thus get 16.5 ministers while the opposition gets 13.5 ministers," Aoun said.
"If it is necessary to give the president a number of ministers, we would give him 2.5 ministers from our share and the majority would give him 2.5 ministers from theirs," rendering the distribution of Cabinet posts 14+11+5, Aoun added. He asked why the majority presupposes that the blocking third would be used by the opposition to hinder government, whereas the purpose of having a third plus one of Cabinet ministers is to ensure partnership within the government.
"The purpose of this third is so we can thwart anything proposed in government which harms the national interest. It allows us to stop them within [state] institutions rather than on the streets," Aoun said, referring to a year-long sit-in in Downtown Beirut that has aimed to bring down the government of Premier Fouad Siniora.