The doors are not closed to understandings

While Salam concluded his consultations with the blocs and independent representatives in the House of Representatives yesterday, no confirmed information was available about the position of the duo regarding participation in the government, noting that the President of the Republic, Joseph Aoun, and the President-designate are showing a keenness to absorb the “uprising” of Amal and Hezbollah, although estimates differ. However, “both parties will seize the moment and will not stand in the way of the new era, but only after serious guarantees provided by everyone who is keen that there will not be a governance crisis in the country.”

Al-Akhbar wrote: It was striking the extreme secrecy with which President Berri was regarding the steps he would take, noting that his response to what he considered a “deception” did not close the doors to a solution and understanding with Salam, if the latter stops the project of besieging a team and isolating or excluding it. The information indicates that the duo will be keen to extract what was previously agreed upon with Aoun, when the agreed-upon scenario was, with French blessing, the reassignment of Najib Mikati and his stay until the next parliamentary elections.

The points agreed upon revolve around the composition of the government, the Ministry of Finance, the mechanisms for appointments at the Bank of Lebanon, the army leadership and the security services, in addition to the reconstruction file, and repelling any attempt to prevent the arrival of support for this process, whether it comes from Arab and foreign countries or from Iran and Iraq. The most important point for Hezbollah relates to the method of implementing Resolution 1701 and restricting it to the south of the Litani.

Amid this atmosphere, there are doubts about the possibility that the president-designate will be able to give decisive answers to all these points, which will launch the process of forming the government. Circles familiar with the line of communication between Salam and the duo say that the president-designate is keen to send positive messages, stressing that “the problem is not with Salam’s person, but rather with the management of the battle to deliver him, and its goal was to impose an image of political defeat for the duo, especially since the outside world found that it could amid the existing structure.” Completing his victory after Aoun imposed the presidency by naming Salam to the government.” In addition to the Berri-Salam meeting, he is also counting on mediation that may be carried out by French President Emmanuel Macron, who arrives in Beirut. Today, while everyone is waiting to confirm which possibility is closest to implementation: the duo joining the government after receiving sufficient guarantees, or the participation of Amal and the exit of Hezbollah to the opposition, or the exit of both parties together on the basis of deeming the government unconstitutional and tainted by the absence of a charter in a repetition of the experience of President Fouad Siniora’s government. In 2006?

At a time when the “civil society” team is trying to portray the situation as a stand by the duo in the face of the Lebanese consensus, they were quick to open the bazaar of negotiations over quotas and ministries, and are trying to “control the office of the designated president,” and deal with him on the basis that they are the ones who brought him to his position, as well as They are trying to surround him with a team they are working on forming. They are also putting pressure on Salam to convince him to ignore the duo and go towards naming “independent” Shiite ministers based on external support, noting that the president-designate “does not seem to be cheated” by these, as he knows well the course of affairs and the composition of the country, and he is not foreign to political work to the extent that he allows it. them to formulate his policies. He has not yet decided who the team will be with him in the next stage, even though there are many aspiring to ministerial and advisory roles.

Nidaa Al Watan wrote: Despite the reassurances of the President of the Republic, Joseph Aoun, and the President in charge of forming the government, Nawaf Salam, and their dispelling of all concerns related to exclusion and cancellation, and Salam in particular that he is not one of the people of exclusion, but rather one of the people of unity and partnership, and despite most blocs and parties extending their hand. For the other team, it is neutral in its political discourse, whether from the palace or from the House of Representatives, following non-binding parliamentary consultations, so that the “duo” does not feel deceived by its claims. It insists The latter made successive blows to the start of the era, first by refusing to name him in the binding consultations to designate the prime minister, and secondly by boycotting the non-binding consultations to form the government.

Sources pointed out that despite the importance of the Berri-Salam meeting in shaping the features of the next government, the issue is not the charter, but rather the other team’s attempts to barter to maintain financial privileges, cling to weapons, and retain the main ministerial portfolios. The sources add, “The first covenant government, as the basis for the start of the covenant, and the aim of the “duo” to form it, through barter weapons to retain the gains, and the threat of a new May 7, are maneuvers, the results of which are feared in encircling the covenant and the president-designate.”

In this context, it was learned that communications have intensified in the past hours through mediators between Baabda and Ain al-Tineh in order to contain the Berri and Hezbollah uprising. Baabda is betting on a breach during the peace-berri meeting today, and the atmosphere in the Republican Palace remains cautious until the meeting ends. If the meeting was negative, then every incident has a story.

Information has stated that Speaker Berri will inform Salam today of his approval to participate in the government, while Hezbollah will not participate, and the Shiite share will go to the Amal Movement. It is said that the quota will reach 5 ministers in the composition of the 30 ministers.

Al-Liwaa wrote: According to what reached the “duo”, the influential Arab parties informed those concerned that there is no targeting by any party of the Shiites in Lebanon… expressing their keenness to participate in the government within the framework of the previous understandings, and this was confirmed by Presidents Aoun and Salam, and thus based on To informed sources, the messages carried positive indicators for future cooperation.

The sources do not want to comment on what is being said about the form of the government, its working mechanism, and the distribution of ministries, given that this file was decided before Aoun was elected, waiting to hear what the president-designate will present, but just as a reminder, there are basic points and red lines that cannot be discussed and have previously been agreed upon. Including the Ministry of Finance, the ministerial statement, the mechanism for implementing Resolution 1701, and the ceasefire and reconstruction agreement.
A well-informed source revealed to Al-Liwaa| The government formation will see the light before the end of next week (23 and 24 January).

Sources revealed to Al-Binaa that the government will be techno-political, consisting of 24 ministers. As for the naming of the ministers, it will be according to an understanding between the Presidents of the Republic and the government in charge of consulting with the parliamentary blocs, with the service ministries being assigned to specialists, people of competence and experience, and outside party affiliations, while the blocs will be given the right to nominate the sovereign portfolios. From personalities outside the traditional crew.”