ROUND-UP 23-10-2009

Sources close to Aoun stressed that they "are not rushing the meeting between Aoun and Saad Hariri," and that "Hariri knows well after the first round that the pathway to [the premiership] certainly passes through Rabieh."

Al-Akhbar has learned that Aoun's stance is final regarding all suggestions that would have him replace the Ministry of Telecommunications for any other ministry except the Ministry of Justice.

Besides, Hariri is supposed to visit the Baabda Palace today to inform President Michel Sleiman about the latest developments regarding the formation of the government. Sources close to Hariri have pointed out that he is upset for what things have came to in the couple of days.

President Sleiman held talks yesterday with MP Walid Jumblatt and his two sons, Taymur and Charbel. Al-Akhbar has learned that Jumblatt asserted to Sleiman that he backs giving a set of ministries to Aoun in exchange for Telecommunications and that Sleiman approved.

As-safir
Titles

Al Assad calls for a quick formation of a national unity government which returns Lebanon to its natural state

Aoun replies to the meeting in Maarab: "Talks first and last"!

Washington: [We have] no objection to the adoption of the 15-10-5 formula "as long as the majority agrees to it."

News

There have been no positive indications regarding talks around the formation of the government. As-safir reported that even if General Michel Aoun was given the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Finance and Justice, he would not accept them without the Ministry of Telecommunications." Aoun's decision is a strategic one which equals Hairir's conclusion on the matter, for Hariri decided to leave an open path with Aoun in order to reach an agreement, yet the telecommunications portfolio is inevitably out of it.

Aoun's public reaction didn't came from nowhere, official opposition sources told As-safir that Aoun " was surprised after the last two meetings with Mp-designate for the leakage of information to the President as well as his allies and that he felt at a point that a trap is being set to create discord between opposition".

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said at a press conference yesterday with Finish President Tarja Halonen in Damascus that "the Syrian point of view is that the formation of majority agrees to it.

As-Safir correspondents in Washington reported that Syrian sources told them that Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Moqdad told Feltman that "Syria will not hamper the formation of the Lebanese government and its only interest is that the opposition is not targeted".
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman, for his part, informed the majority that Washington does not oppose "the formula" [15-10-5] if the majority agrees on it".

Tehran reiterates backing the formation of the government as well as the MP-designate , expressing through its ambassador Mohammad Rida Shaybane "a hope that Hariri will succeed due to his patience and constant work in forming a national unity government as soon as possible ".

An-nahar

Opening Titles

The crisis stagnates until Thursday's meeting.

Kouchner will be on a marathon tour to try to find an outlet

News

No definitive information has been publicized about the scheduling of Thursday's critical meeting between PM-designate Saad Hariri and General Michel Aoun.

Opposition forces came out yesterday condemning head of the Lebanese Forces Executive Committee Samir Geagea of sparking "provocation," mentioning clear signs that he and Hariri had worked to state the Telecommunications portfolio "off-limits" to Aoun.

Geagea responded by saying [the president] should choose between "accepting what the majority offers him and walking the opposition line."

Sources informed about ongoing political contacts told An-Nahar that the coming hours will witness many efforts and consultations, and that today may see some decisive developments.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner will meet today and tomorrow during his visit to Beirut with President Michel Sleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri, outgoing PM Fouad Siniora, Hariri and a number of political leaders and party representatives.

Change and Reform bloc sources offered "clarifying" information about Aoun's position on matters, stressing that what he announced "did not stop the continuing attempts with him and the PM-designate, rather it corrected the direction of the process of the formation [of the government] in the face of a campaign of deformation."