Region | Lebanon
Lebanese leaders close to deal on unity government
Lebanese leaders are close to a deal on the formation of a national unity government as stipulated in an agreement that ended the country's political crisis, political sources said on Saturday.
- Agencies
- Published: 16:20 July 5, 2008
- Image Credit: Reuters
- Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora (left) meets opposition Christian leader Michel Aoun in Beirut on Saturday.
Beirut: Lebanese leaders are close to a deal on the formation of a national unity government as stipulated in an agreement that ended the country's political crisis, political sources said on Saturday.
They said the new government, in which Hezbollah and its allies would have a blocking minority, could be announced as early as Saturday.
Lebanon's US-backed majority coalition and the opposition, led by the Syrian- and Iranian-backed Hezbollah, signed a Qatari-brokered deal in Doha on May 21 that pulled the country back from the brink of a new civil war.
President Michel Suleiman was elected four days later in line with the deal, but squabbling over cabinet portfolios has held up the formation of a government.
The sources from both sides said the breakthrough in the government came after a series of contacts by Qatari Prime Minister Shiekh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani with rival leaders.
The new government, led by Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, would have two Hezbollah ministers in addition to nine ministers from its Shiite Muslim, Druze and Christian allies.
The ruling coalition would have 16 ministers while the remaining three ministers in the 30-member cabinet would be picked by the president, the sources said.
Personalities close to Suleiman would be assigned the key defence and interior portfolios.
Leaders were holding intense contacts to finalise the cabinet list. Once the names of the ministers are finalised, Siniora would meet Suleiman and announce his line up.
"Final touches are being put on the list of names. It could be finished today or it might take a little bit longer," one source said.
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