Aoun, Jumblatt ministers boycott cabinet session

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Minister of Information Walid al-Daouq said the cabinet session that was scheduled for Friday at the Baabda Presidential Palace was postponed on account of the quorum not being reached.

Daouq told reporters that a number of ministers did not attend the session “either because they are [abroad], or have health [issues], or for various other reasons.”

The cabinet session was postponed until next Wednesday.

According to OTV television the ministers that did not attend the cabinet session were the members of the Change and Reform bloc which is headed by MP Michel Aoun and two others from the National Struggle Front, which is headed by PSP leader MP Walid Jumblatt.

Aoun later told OTV in a phone interview that his ministers boycotted the cabinet session in response to Mikati’s interview with LBC .

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati told LBC on Thursday that he would resign if his government fails to secure funding for a UN-backed court set up to probe the February 14, 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Aoun also told OTV that ” if the cabinet continues like this then there is no point for us to serve in it ”

Asked about the possibility of resigning from the cabinet Aoun said: “We are ready for all possibilities and we are known for taking a decision and sticking with it .”

The National Struggle Front (NSF) ministers obviously boycotted the meeting for a different reasons knowing that Jumblatt is an outspoken supporter of the tribunal . According to observers the main reason for NSF’s absence is the way the cabinet has been dealing with Minister of Transportation and Public works Ghazi Aridi. Aridi has been boycotting the cabinet sessions because his ministry is not getting the funds needed to continue with its projects

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