Lebanon PM is seriously considering resignation, report

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tammam-salam 2Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam is “not kidding” when it comes to his resignation on the backdrop of the governmental crisis, and he will not keep guard for attempts to obstruct cabinet, governmental sources told al-Mustaqbal daily on Sunday.

“Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement have not offered any initiative whatsoever on Salam to find a solution for the governmental crisis,” they said.

“Since the debate triggered by Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil with Salam during the cabinet session that was held before Eid al-Fitr, and the visit of (Hezbuollah Minister) Mohammed Fneish to the Grand Serail praising the PM’s wisdom, no serious steps have been recorded,” added the sources on condition of anonymity.

However they pointed to the escalatory measures announced by Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc in a statement “where the party announced a new path to be taken to confront the government.”

Salam has threatened lately that he would submit his resignation to object the “paralysis” caused by the Free Patriotic Movement.

The cabinet crisis grew earlier this month when FPM MinisterGebran Bassil bickered with Salam during a session after accusing him of infringing on the Christian president’s powers in the absence of a head of state.

The cabinet has been paralyzed since early June when Salam suspended the sessions over a dispute on the appointment of high-ranking security and military officials.

FPM ministers have warned they would boycott any session whose agenda is not topped by the appointments.

The parliament has also been paralyzed over a dispute between the rival MPs on the presidential elections.

The Lebanese parliament failed earlier this month and for the 26th time in a row to elect a president to replace Michel Suleiman whose term ended on May 25.

As in the past sessions the parliament was unable to reach a quorum because the Iranian backed Hezbollah militant group and its ally Aoun’s Change and Reform bloc MPs boycotted the sessions.

Speaker Nabih Berri who is allied with Hezbollah told visitors last week that an Iranian nuclear deal could help pave the way to ending major conflicts in the Middle East, and the presidential vacuum in Lebanon.

Aoun reportedly wants his son-in-law Commando Regiment chief Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz to be appointed army chief and for this reason he has been pushing for the appointments

Roukoz’s tenure ends in October 2015 while Kahwaji’s term expires at the end of September.

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3 responses to “Lebanon PM is seriously considering resignation, report”

  1. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    Casn’t blame the poor bastard … they sucked him into coming back to help the country, and he finds he can’t do a thing with it. Thought he was comfortably ‘retired’ once. Should have stayed there.

  2. Adonis Avatar

    since he is not capable for making necessary decisions, he should leave

  3. Joe Saad Avatar
    Joe Saad

    Coundn’t stand to retire as must have a legacy at any cost, even when he knows he will be totally ineffectual. Such is the me-above-country attitude in our little Liban.

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