President Michel Aoun is “confident” that a government will be formed soon, former Prime Minister Najib Mikati told reporters Tuesday after meeting with the president at Baabda Palace.
Aoun is also assured that “there will be a work calendar as soon as the government is formed,” he added.
Mikati’s comments are part of a wave of optimism that has recently swept the country surrounding the prospects of the Cabinet’s formation, seven months into the process’ deadlock.
The government formation crisis is “close to being resolved,” Speaker Nabih Berri told local daily Al Joumhouria Tuesday.
“Things are good and hopefully on the right track. We can say that the [government] is two steps away.”
The country has been awaiting a resolution to the issue posed by six pro-Hezbollah Sunni MPs from outside the Future Movement who are demanding representation in the new Cabinet, thwarting the formation.
The group is set to meet Tuesday afternoon with General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, who has been tasked with spearheading a new resolution effort.
Ibrahim, known for past mediation efforts that have successfully settled internal political conflicts, is acting in tandem with President Michel Aoun, who last week launched an initiative aimed at placating the six lawmakers.
Baalbeck-Hermel MP Walid Sukkarieh, one of the six, told The Daily Star Monday night that Ibrahim had “a host of ideas for discussion in hopes of reaching an agreement on our representation.”
Although Sukkarieh said the six MPs were not aware of the details, he signaled their readiness to accept representation in the new government by a compromise candidate from outside their group.
Berri added Tuesday that if the government forms soon, nothing would prevent a Parliament session to give the government trust from being held before the end of the year.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
