Aoun Firm on Strategic Alliance with Hizbullah, Berri Disgusted
Amid the boiling regional scene, the security situation along the Northern Lebanese borders occupied the top of the national concerns.
This comes as the Future umbrella not only shadows the tension but also turned to be a major destabilizing factor in Akkar. In this context, a number of Future MPs threatened with high level responses if the case of the two killed Sheikhs not to find its way to the Judicial Council Monday.
Meanwhile, the government will meet Monday at Baabda Presidential Palace to consider this matter, and to discuss both security measures as well as the draft budget.
Gov't to Meet, Aoun Ministers to Attend
Lebanese newspapers reported Monday that the government will meet Monday with positive indications that the Change and Reform bloc ministers will participate.
Parliament's approval of a draft-law that turned electricity contract workers to full-timers paralyzed the cabinet as the bloc's ministers boycotted the previous sessions.
A ministerial source in the bloc informed "as-Safir" daily that "the bloc was leaning toward participating in the session."
The source stressed that " the ministers will attend the session, if nothing urgent came up."
"The goal of boycotting the last two sessions was recording objection to the non-applicability of the ministerial solidarity on electricity contract workers bill," he clarified.
The source further insisted that "the concerned sides received our message and we will continue to seek to achieve the objective."
In addition, Energy Minister Gibran Bassil asserted to "an-Nahar" that "boycotting the session would be tantamount to an objection.
"We do not want the government to fall," Bassil said.
For his part, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati assured to the same daily that "the governmental session will convene if the quorum was available, even if the Change and Reform bloc ministers were absent."
In parallel, it appeared that the parties of the news dispute within the majority, tend to gradually eliminate the repercussions.
"The wheels of communication reiterated to move gain between the Free Patriotic Movement and Hizbullah," "as-Safir" learned.
It also reported that efforts to resolve the dispute continued as a meeting was held between House Speaker Nabih Berri, the political aide of the Secretary General of Hizbullah His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Hussein Khalil in the presence of Minister Ali Hassan Khalil in Ain al-Tineh.
Similarly, a meeting was also held between Energy and Water Minister Gibran Bassil and Head of Hizbullah Liaison and Coordination Unit Wafiq Safa as part of efforts to defuse the tension.
Aoun: Relation with Sayyed Nasrallah Out of Question, Not To Resign
For his part, Head of the Change and Reform Bloc MP Michel Aoun confirmed that his relation with Sayyed Nasrallah is strong.
"The current dispute won't affect the strategic aspect of the relationship i.e. related to the resistance arms and the need for it," Aoun emphasized.
He also denied that the ties between the two leaders deteriorated over Electricite du Liban's contract workers crisis.
This relationship is outside the circle of the recent crisis, and it will remain away from the side effects on any dispute over with domestic issues," Aoun highlighted.
On the governmental level, Aoun stated "the option to resign from the government is not proposed now."
"However, we will not hesitate to boycott when necessary," the MP clarified.
Aoun denied that his bloc rejected the approval of EDL contract-workers draft-law not for confessional or electoral reasons.
"We held onto the proposal of Minister Bassil that deals with both the humanitarian and reform aspects of the employment," he added.
Aoun also rejected the calls to transfer the issue of the death of the two Sheikhs Ahmad Abdel Wahed and Mohammad Merheb to the Judicial Council.
"Transferring the case to the Justice Council [harms] the Lebanese army, and we can't accept this," he viewed and noted that "protests must not set pressures that dictate the judiciary how to act."
Cabinet's Agenda:
On this front, "an-Nahar" reported that "Justice Minister Chakib Qortbawi will provide solutions pertaining to the issue against a backdrop of ceaseless calls for transferring the case to the Judicial Council."
For its part, "as-Safir" revealed that PM Mikati will launch consultations on this matter ahead of the governmental session.
Moreover, "al-Joumhoria" learned that "issues of the telecoms data will be present on the governmental agenda."
This comes as security sources confirmed to "al-Akhbar" that the security services got full access to "data, in terms of geographical movement of mobile communications as well the callers and recipients of calls and text messages."
Berri Expressed Disgust of Political Play
On another level, House Speaker Berri expressed his disgust over the permanent political situation.
In remarks to "as-Safir", Berri said: " I am extremely disgusted of the situation the internal situation the country is living."
"The general atmosphere is gloomy," Berri stated and noted that " the current situation is the result of a play, that we can't tell if it is tragic or a sarcastic one."
He further mentioned that "there are some Lebanese sides that don't want the resistance, the Lebanese Army, the government, the parliament and national dialogue."
"If we act in this way, who will look after the people?" Berri wondered.
The Speaker also said that "even devils don't think this way.Let them fear God."
Source: Lebanese dailies, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
