BEIRUT: The government will soon resume its sessions, former Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Thursday, adding that the swift election of a new Lebanese president was a necessary prelude to the implementation of a national strategy to combat terrorism.
Speaking to a delegation of Arab ambassadors at his residence in Downtown Beirut, Hariri stated that he expected the government to resume its work shortly, and that he had spoken with Prime Minister Tammam Salam and other relevant officials regarding the matter.
The government did not hold its weekly meeting Thursday, and Salam, who flew to Rome on a private trip, has stressed that the Cabinet will only resume its meetings after a new decision-making mechanism can be agreed upon.
The government began exercising the powers of the presidency on May 25 of last year, when the post became vacant. Since then, members of the 24-member body have insisted on the unanimous approval of decisions and decrees, significantly reducing its productivity.
The Constitution stipulates that if unanimous approval cannot be achieved, standard decisions can be passed by a simple majority, and major decisions, specified by Article 65, with the approval of two-thirds of the Cabinet’s members.
In his remarks to the Arab delegation, Hariri also stressed that any national strategy to combat terrorism must be implemented by legitimate security forces. “Any strategy to confront terrorism can only take place through the Lebanese Army and legitimate security forces, who are already shouldering this responsibility across the country,” he said. “But the proper prelude to the implementation of a national strategy is the swift election of a president.”
Earlier, Hariri had discussed the security situation in the country with Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk, head of General Security Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Basbous, and head of the ISF’s Information Branch Brig. Imad Othman.
The Future Movement leader later met separately with Maj. Gen. Mohammad Khair, secretary-general of the Higher Defense Council.
The meetings came one day after Hariri had dinner with Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun.
“The meeting was good, and was part of the efforts to strengthen understanding. We will not turn away any assistance in our work to defuse tensions in the country,” Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil told reporters at Rafik Hariri International Airport, before departing on an official visit to Latin America. “God willing, we can provide further help in future for larger agreements.”
FPM parliamentary sources also described the Hariri-Aoun meeting as “friendly.”
Speaking to The Daily Star, sources said the talks addressed a number of issues, among them the presidential election, a controversy over the retirement age of Army and police officers, the situation on Lebanon’s borders, and the war on terrorism.
According to sources, Hariri stressed to Aoun that he had no issues with his candidacy, but that an agreement with Christian leaders, particularly Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, was necessary.
As for the current governmental paralysis, both leaders agreed there was a need to facilitate the Cabinet’s work, and that Salam and his ministers should look to new formulas, but they did not discuss an alternative decision-making mechanism.
Other political figures have also weighed in on the stalled government sessions. Health Minister Wael Abu Faour said MP Walid Jumblatt and Speaker Nabih Berri were in agreement regarding the controversy.
“[Berri’s] position, and Jumblatt’s, is that we should facilitate the Cabinet’s affairs, but we should not engage in a constitutional precedent,” Abu Faour told reporters after visiting the speaker at his Ain al-Tineh residence.
“Political discussion is allowed, political agreement is allowed, but violating the Constitution is unacceptable,” Abu Faour said.
“Even if a presidential vacuum exists, and has become unbearable, this should not lead us to create a new precedent.”
