consult on Sunday with all former prime ministers and on Monday he plans to start consultations with parliament members and blocs at the parliament building in downtown Beirut.
Between now and the time of the final approval of a new government the Lebanese will be bombarded with math formulas on the makeup of the national unity government . In addition to the formulas we listed yesterday another one popped up this morning by the Hezbollah led opposition . But Hariri according to well informed sources may not have the patience of prime minister Siniora and may be inclined to tell the opposition " to hell with you " if they will make his task of forming the cabinet very difficult.
According to Hariri sources , the prime minister designate has 2 other options in mind if the opposition will try to obstruct his job in forming the cabinet:
1- Either a cabinet of the majority only similar to what is being done by all democracies all over the world to be formed by him or
2- Another government to be formed by MP Fouad Siniora
Sunday
10:34pm Future TV: One Future TV journalist Assi Azar was subjected to attacks as he was leaving his office in near Bcharra el Khoury intersection
10:00pm Two killed and 2 wounded in the Aisha Bakkar clashes
09:45pm Very little traffic in the residential neighborhoods of the capital specially in el Elyyeh street in Mar Elias where clashes began near Dar el Fatwa
09:43pm New TV : the army is in complete control of the situation in Aisha Bakkar
09:07 pm Heavy LAF deployment in neighborhoods experiencing clashes; Army Command orders LAF to open fire on any armed men on streets
08:44pm Clashes spread to Mosseitbeh and Salim Salam neighborhoods of Beirut
08:35pm One LAF soldier reportedly injured by sniper fire during clashes in Aisha Bakkar neighborhood of Beirut; renewed clashes near Dar al-Fatwa
08:34pm Al-Arabiya TV: Gunshots heard in Mar Elias neighborhood of Beirut
08:14pm Reports of one death and at least five injuries in Aisha Bakkar following clashes between Amal and Future Movement partisans
8:11pm NNA: Gunfire and RPGs were used in the mishap in Beirut's Aisha Bakkar neighborhood.
7:50pm Gunfire is heard in some areas of Beirut and Lebanese troops stepped in to disperse the crowds.
6:15pm Hariri after meeting Saniora: We should put an end to (inter-Lebanese) divisions and open a new page.
05:35pm president Suleiman received a call from the Qatari Emir congratulating him on completion of the election and on nominating Saad Hariri as the next PM
05:15pm PM-designate Hariri meets PM Fouad Siniora at Grand Serail
04:40pm The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) reported on Sunday that more than 2,000 people are detained and hundreds more are missing in Iran since a government crackdown on protests over the disputed presidential election.
3:00pm Netanyahu warns that Lebanon government will be held accountable for Hezbollah actions if the party was part of the new Cabinet.
2:50pm NNA: Jumblat from Baakline, Shouf : I will not participate in any Cabinet that the would utter the word ‘privatization.’
2:00pm Hariri now visits former PM Najib Miqati.
1:30pm Hariri visits ex-Premier Omar Karami.
12:56pm PM-designate Saad Hariri says his meeting with FPM leader Michel Aoun was “good”
12:45pm Hariri decided not to file lawsuits against insults and accusations targeting his person or political affiliation, he hopes that all those involved will repair the damage and come together to rebuild national accord.
12:04pm Hariri is currently meeting with Aoun in Rabieh.
10:40 Minister Ibrahim Najjar told New TV : Hariri will propose a share for the opposition but minus veto power. Another proposition gives the president balancing power within the framework of the Taef accord.
10:32 Carlos Edde told VOL: The National Bloc remains in the same position. Aoun cannot say he represents 70 percent of Christians. March 14 forces emerged stronger after the polls but began losing clout even before the election of parliament speaker.
10:30 MP Imad al-Hout told Future TV: Aoun is in the habit of coming up with unconstitutional slogans at the formation of each government. The majority has the right to govern and the minority has the right to participate but without pre-conditions.
10:15 Premier-designate Hariri plans to meet with former prime ministers: Amin Hafez, Rashid al-Sold, Salim al-Hoss, Michel Aoun, Omar Karami, Najib Mikati and Fouad Saniora.
10:00 Interim Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh returned to Beirut from Rome, where he attended meetings of the quartet committee.
9:30 Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir: The overpricing of petrol does not encourage tourism and I hope the officials will address the issue.
08:24 Awan : Nasrallah advised Hariri to reach an understanding with Aoun on the size of his share of cabinet seats in the government and assured him that Hezbollah and the rest of his allies in the opposition will be satisfied by whatever satisfies Aoun
08:20 MP Sami Gemayel renewed his rejection of the illegal arms of Hezbollah and stressed the importance of the follow up on the issue of Lebanese in Syrian jails
08:15 Syrian newspaper al Watan : The government formation based on the math formula 10 -15- 5 is almost final based on regional and international understanding
07:50 Al Anbaa : Hariri informed close associates that he is not ready to accept any obstruction in forming the government and could resign the post and force the March 14 alliance to nominate Siniora to form the next government
07:20 MP Adwan told al Diyar newspaper The Lebanese Forces are ready to meet Franjiyeh at any time he deems appropriate. We are for giving President Suleiman the key to the balance in the government and the decisive vote
07:06 Sources close to Hezbollah told Al Rai: The opposition will accept the formula of 13-10-7 with the condition that the Ministers of president Suleiman should be subject to its approval
07:03 Saudi Arabia's king Abdullah will be receiving today president Mubarak in Jeddah to discuss regional and international issues
07:01 March 14 sources told Al Rai: Hariri did not accept the nomination to fail
06:59 March 14 sources told Al Rai: If the opposition will continue to obstruct the formation of the government then the only 2 other solutions are : Either a government of the majority only or the nomination of Siniora to form another government
06:55 Al Hayat : Hariri sees no justification for a blocking one third for the minority
06:49 "An-Nahar": Kouchner to visit Beirut on July 9
06:47: Informed sources : The exit strategy call for a formula of 15-10-5 with coordination between Suleiman Hezbollah and and March14
06:38 Sarkozy welcomes the nomination of Hariri and affirmed the continuation of the French support "full and firm" to the sovereignty of Lebanon
06:37 Hassan Fadlallah told "Al-Nahar": Waiting for the translation of the new language of the PM designate into political realities
06:33 Alan Aoun told Al Sharq al Awsat :" we are optimistic about the positive initiative of Al-Hariri and we are not passive and we want a genuine partnership
Saturday
08:07pm Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri receives congratulatory cables from French Prime Minister Francois Fillon, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown
07:54pm PM-designate Saad Hariri will begin consultations over the formation of the cabinet in the parliament building on Monday
06:34pm As a former PM , MP Aoun will be receiving tomorrow at 12:30 pm in Rabiyah PM designate Hariri for consultations on cabinet formation . Hariri will be meeting with all former PMs before consultations with parliamentary blocs
05:59pm A huge fire erupted in Batroun and the Lebanese army helicopters are trying to extinguish it
05:48 The shows of artist Gad ElMaleh at the Beiteddine festival have been canceled . He was scheduled to perform on July 13-15
4:09pm Hariri visited the graveyard of his father. He was met by former PM Fouad Siniora.
3:50pm Hariri after his appointment: We will start consultations with all parliamentary blocs. We seek to protect the constitution and extend our hand to our partners in the nation. The issue is not only about the formation of the cabinet. It is about the nation’s fate. He vowed to form a homogeneous and consensus government that is able to remain united.
03:41 Fireworks celebrating Future Movement leader Saad Hariri’s appointment to the position of prime minister are heard in Beirut. No injuries reported
3:30pm Hariri urged citizens not to resort to celebratory gunfire.
3:14pm President Michel Suleiman issued a decree designating Saad Hariri Lebanon’s premier designate and tasking him with forming a new cabinet.
