ROUND-UP 2-11-2009
Differences between opposition and majority are not bridged amid mounting fears that the stalemate will continue as the complications of the process appear to go beyond the distribution of ministerial portfolios.
Al Akhbar
Titles
The idle understanding between Assad and [King] Abdullah: Hariri makes suggestions, and Aoun holds veto power.
Obama aborts Abbas: Resume negotiations without there being a halt on settlements.
News
The results of the Syria-Saudi summit have been squandered by all political parties in Lebanon, albeit creating positive atmosphere, it has not been translated into results internally.
A Syrian source reported that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz have begun negotiations concerning the situation in Lebanon including in their most recent talks. Circumstances actually do not allow for a comprehensive initiative to be suggested by the two sides, because Saudi Arabia has no intention of getting engaged in an encounter with the US and other Arab states.
Palestinian sources told Al-Akhbar yesterday that US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in a message of warning from US President Barack Obama, that the US is holding Abbas responsible for the failure of US efforts to restart negotiations.
Clinton's stances in Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi have stirred Palestinian positions which criticize the American deviation. While Hamas expressed doubt in Abbas's ability to persist on his position which calls for Resuming negotiations only if there being a halt on settlements.
As-Safir
Titles
An opposition meeting was held last night in Rabieh; Berri still believes there can be a resolution.
Assad to As-Safir: The formation of the cabinet is the responsibility of the Lebanese.
News
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told As-Safir on the sidelines of a meeting with members of the media accompanying Assad on his visit to Zagreb that the formation of the Lebanese government is "the responsibility of the Lebanese."
A meeting was held yesterday in Rabieh for opposition leaders to coordinate together. The meeting was attended by MP Michel Aoun, MP Sleiman Franjieh, Hizbolluh secretary general's political advisor Hussein Khalil and Telecommunications Minister Gebran Bassil.
Majority sources reported that PM-designate Saad Hariri is waiting for an official reply from Aoun over the two offers he made of which Aoun is supposed to choose one.
The first proposal would give Aoun the Ministry of Telecommunications so long as Bassil does not top the position in addition to the ministries of the Displaced, Tourism and Culture, with the possibility of trading Culture for Social Affairs. The second proposal would give Aoun the ministries of Education, Energy, the Displaced, Social Affairs and Labor.
As-Safir has learned that Hariri sent a Lebanon First delegate to meet with Lebanese Forces head Samir Geagea to induce him to abandon some of his preconditions. Geagea's reply was reportedly negative, refusing to give in to the "extortion" being undertaken by Aoun.
Speaker Nabih Berri suggested a type of ministerial rotation to Hariri, whereby Aoun would hold onto Telecommunications and Energy, with Culture and Social Affairs being rotated. Similarly, the Development and Liberation bloc would preserve possession of the ministries of Health and Foreign Affairs, while the Industry Ministry would be a topic for discussion. However, Hariri rejected the proposal.
An-nahar
Titles
The government crisis from a fuss of mediations to the repression of movements
Hariri puts a cap on compromises; Aoun promises to answer
News
Some have begun to be concerned that Lebanon will continue to have four major heads of state, as it were, with the government stalemate continuing and PM-designate Saad Hariri lingering in his temporary position, rather than three - president, prime minister and speaker - on Lebanon's Independence Day on November 22 just like on Army Day on August 1.
Sources have reported that the situation is no longer at "square one," but rather is stuck between the offers that PM-designate Saad Hariri has suggested and MP Michel Aoun has thus far opposed. The sources said Hariri has offered Aoun the Ministry of Telecommunications, as long as its current head, Gebran Bassil, does not keep that post, alongside Tourism, Culture and the Displaced ministries.
Aoun has rejected the condition that someone other than Bassil could top the Ministry of Telecommunications and has insisted on at least one additional fundamental portfolio, such as Energy or Education.
It appears as if the "movements" of talks and mediations, particularly those of MP Sleiman Franjieh, have been suppressed as circles within the majority and opposition have described it as a herald of the exhaustion of means to get negotiations moving.
The opposition had the "assembly" of its representatives in Zahle yesterday to stand alongside Minister Elias Skaff as the Popular Bloc released a message that it would "show its pledge and solidarity with General Aoun," according to opposition sources.
Sources in the Change and Reform bloc said that a meeting between Hariri and Aoun would be held "when Hariri has a reply to any of the three formulas, and Aoun will not agree on any meeting to be held before he has gotten an answer."
