عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Lebanon: Aoun Wants Half of Ministers in Mikati Govt

Aoun and Mikati meet at the presidential palace. (NNA)
Aoun and Mikati meet at the presidential palace. (NNA)
TT
TT

Lebanon: Aoun Wants Half of Ministers in Mikati Govt

Aoun and Mikati meet at the presidential palace. (NNA)
Aoun and Mikati meet at the presidential palace. (NNA)

Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati was surprised during his last meeting with President Michel Aoun by the latter’s demand of a share of 12 ministers, or half of the ministerial portfolios, political sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.

According to the sources, Aoun’s new conditions have returned the government formation negotiations to square one, noting that the president stipulated that there would be no possibility to resume the talks unless Mikati agreed to his demand.

The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Paris was forced to intervene, warning that hindering the formation process would force it to take an irreversible stance towards the political team affiliated with Aoun, starting with the head of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and the president’s son-in-law, MP Gebran Bassil.

Paris is directly keeping pace with the recent developments, the sources stressed, given that French Ambassador Anne Grillo is on annual leave.

Consequently, Aoun was forced, under pressure from Paris, to maintain the channels of communication with Mikati and sent Bassil to meet with the premier-designate.

The sources stressed that Bassil is planning from now to control the government, even if it means obstructing its productivity, should his demands remain unmet. Aoun’s son-in-law wants to have the last say in the government, otherwise he will seek to disrupt its ability to make any efficient decision.

Bassil had previously announced that he will not be part of the government.

This has not deterred him from attempting to impose his influence and seek to become a partner in decisions it takes. Otherwise, he would be forced to thwart it from taking any decision, said the sources.

Aoun is blindly following his son-in-law, paving the way for him to not only control half the government, but to seize service portfolios that would improve his image ahead of next year’s elections, which perhaps will restore his chances of running for president.

Therefore, if Aoun does not change his position, it will be as if he wants to use all his political weight to serve Bassil’s electoral ambitions.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Pedersen Says ‘Extremely Critical’ to Avoid Syria Being Dragged into War in Region

UN special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen meets with Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh in Damascus on Sunday. (Syrian Foreign Ministry)
UN special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen meets with Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh in Damascus on Sunday. (Syrian Foreign Ministry)
TT
TT

Pedersen Says ‘Extremely Critical’ to Avoid Syria Being Dragged into War in Region

UN special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen meets with Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh in Damascus on Sunday. (Syrian Foreign Ministry)
UN special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen meets with Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh in Damascus on Sunday. (Syrian Foreign Ministry)

The UN special envoy for Syria said on Sunday that it was “extremely critical” to end the fighting in Lebanon and Gaza to avoid the country being pulled into a regional war.

“We need now to make sure that we have immediately a ceasefire in Gaza, that we have a ceasefire in Lebanon, and that we avoid Syria being dragged even further into the conflict,” said Geir Pedersen ahead of a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh in Damascus.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry has not released any details about the Pedersen-Sabbagh meeting. It only issued a brief statement in which it announced the meeting.

Local sources said Pedersen's second visit to Damascus this year is aimed at exploring the possibility of resuming the Constitutional Committee meetings aimed at resolving the Syrian crisis.

The meetings have been stalled since the eighth round on February 22, 2022, due to a dispute over the venue of the reconvening of the Constitutional Committee. Russia, which is not satisfied with Switzerland's joining Western sanctions against Moscow because of the Ukraine war, refuses to hold it in Geneva.

“Pedersen is holding talks with Syrian officials in Damascus, where he arrived last Wednesday, about the possibility of resuming the Constitutional Committee meetings,” reported Syria’s Al-Watan newspaper.

Earlier this month, Russian presidential envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev told TASS: “As you know, only one venue - Geneva - is still unacceptable for the Russian side. As for all others, we are ready to work there.”

He added: “Probably, there is an open option with Baghdad, which, regrettably, was rejected by the Syrian opposition. It refused from this venue because Baghdad is supporting Damascus. They don’t think that Iraq is a neutral venue.”

The Russian diplomat stressed that the committee’s work should be resumed as soon as possible, but, in his words, it takes a lot of effort to find a venue that would be acceptable for both Damascus and the Syrian opposition.

Israel has been conducting airstrikes in Syria against government forces, Iranian troops and Hezbollah targets since the eruption of the crisis there in 2011. Strikes have increased following the Israeli war on Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon.

On Sunday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the death toll of the Israeli airstrikes on Palmyra city on November 20 continues to increase with many people suffering from severe injuries.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented the death of three Syrians and two non-Syrian members of Iranian-backed militias, bringing the number of fatalities to 105.