Summary
The new Cabinet holds its first meeting at Baabda Palace Tuesday as signs emerged that the rival factions are ready to compromise over the policy statement, a contentious issue that could paralyze the government's work if left unresolved, political sources said Monday.
The Future Movement and its March 14 allies are pressing for the Baabda Declaration to be adopted as the new Cabinet's policy statement.
March 14 MP Boutros Harb, the new telecommunications minister, threatened to withdraw from the Cabinet unless the Baabda Declaration was adopted in the policy statement.
Sleiman and Berri called for a swift resolution to the policy statement in order for the Cabinet to begin addressing security threats and a worsening economic crisis arising from the repercussions of the three-year war in Syria.
Sleiman expressed hope the new Cabinet would waste no time in drafting its policy statement.
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