Lebanon's President Emile Lahoud and new Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri met Thursday to discuss the formation of a new government, after allegations the cabinet line-up had already been decided with input from Syria, an official source told AFP.
The source, who would not indicate when the new cabinet would be announced, said the men would meet again "in the next few hours."
Questioned about the talks, the source said pro-Syrian Lahoud and Hariri reviewed consultations Tuesday and Wednesday on the new government between the new prime minister and 125 of parliament's 128 deputies.
"There are similar viewpoints between the two leaders on the composition of the new government," he added.
Hariri said Wednesday the new cabinet would not be announced before Friday.
Newspapers have in recent days published similar leaked cabinet lists in which pro-Syrian politicians figure prominently, including seven loyal to Hariri, three to Lahoud and four to parliamentary chief Nabih Berri.
Hariri's main ally, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, on Wednesday denounced Syria's continued "meddling" in Lebanon's internal affairs, mainly by preventing Christian representative politicians from joining the new government.
Jumblatt and several other deputies criticism of the "prefabricated and weak" ministerial team allegedly assembled before the parliamentary consultations, forced Hariri to state he would listen to the lawmakers' input – BEIRUT (AFP)
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