BEIRUT: The first draft of the newly formed Cabinet’s policy statement is expected to be discussed Monday, while the Phalange Party ended speculation about its withdrawal from the new Cabinet, saying attempts to exclude the party from decision-making have failed. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Saad Hariri stressed Wednesday on the need for a rapid formulation of the Cabinet’s policy statement as he presided over the ministerial committee tasked with drafting the document.
Following the committee’s meeting, Information Minister Tarek Mitri said the new ministerial statement will be based on the one adopted by the previous government but will be “more concise and more feasible to implement.”
Mitri added that each minister would put forward proposals regarding his portfolio’s program in order to finalize the statement’s first draft, which would be discussed on Monday.
Social Affairs Minister and Phalange Party official Salim Sayegh had missed the committee’s meeting to underscore his party’s discontent with its ministerial share, raising speculation about a possible withdrawal by the Phalange Party from the new Cabinet.
However, in a statement issued later on Wednesday, the Phalange Party stressed that despite its “weak representation” in the new Cabinet, compared to its popular and parliamentary weight, recent attempts to exclude the party from-decision making on the national level would fail.
The Phalange Party demanded prior to the Cabinet formation to be granted the Education portfolio but was allotted the Social Affairs Ministry.
Following the party’s politburo meeting, Phalanges politburo member Sejaan Azzi said the Phalange in its role in the new government would remain committed to meeting the social and economic needs of Lebanese people.
“The Phalange Party, despite demanding the Education portfolio as part of aspirations to abolish sectarianism in education programs, appreciates the importance of the Social Affairs Ministry which we hold and thus will work toward boosting the ministry’s role,” the statement added.
However, the Phalange statement criticized the new Cabinet’s make-up, saying it represented a mini-Parliament rather than embracing a majority and a minority in accordance with democratic principles.
The party’s politburo also called for a leadership council representing the March 14 alliance to preserve the spirit and principles of the coalition’s political views as well as work toward the implementation of future reforms with regard to flaws in the Taif Accord.
Earlier Wednesday, Labor Minister Butros Harb stressed the importance of the Phalange Party’s participation in the Cabinet given the latter’s pivotal role on the national level.
Following talks with Phalange Party head Amin Gemayel at the party’s headquarter in Saifi, Harb told reporters that his visit aimed to address the issue of the disputed Phalange ministerial share in the new Cabinet.
“I believe in Gemayel’s wisdom and patriotism as he is assessing the situation rather than reacting spontaneously,” Harb said.
Meanwhile, Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader MP Michel Aoun said Wednesday the new cabinet should consolidate consensus, adding that his party would tackle privatization projects in the upcoming period.
“We have set a plan for the next phase which includes tackling privatization projects as well as Paris III [commitments], particularly since our party and its allies hold the major productive ministries like the Telecommunications, Energy and Agriculture portfolios,” Aoun said.
As for the Phalange Party’s discontent with its share in the next Cabinet, Aoun said: “No group was given what it hoped its share would be in the new cabinet,” adding that the FPM wanted to be allotted the Social Affairs portfolio.
“It is not the end of the world if the Phalange Party was only granted the Social Affairs Ministry,” Aoun said.
Tackling the ministerial statement, Aoun said all parties should commit to the substance of the policy statement which should reflect national unity, and all ministers should cooperate to be most effective.
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