The March 14 alliance announced on Thursday that it decided to nominate Beirut MP Tamam Salam as the Prime Minister designate to form the new cabinet .
“We have agreed on nominating Salam to head the next cabinet,” Former PM and Future Movement parliamentary bloc leader MP Fouad Siniora said after the meeting of the alliance at the Center House.
He added: “The lawmakers of the alliance and of al-Jamaa al-Islamiya will officially inform President Michel Suleiman during the consultations about their candidate “.
The March 14 leaders held a meeting at the Center House on Thursday to exclusively discuss this issue. Salam later joined the meeting after arriving from a trip to Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh, according to LBCI television.
Following the meeting Salam said: This is a great responsibility and I thank all my brothers in e “March 14″ alliance and I hope that this will reflect in the best interest of Lebanon”.
Earlier on Thursday, the Beirut MP held talks with former PM Saad Hariri in Riyadh and appeared to have received his blessings for being March 14′ candidate for premiership, An Nahar reported on Thursday.
LBCI reported that the Hariri along with the National Struggle Front Walid Jumblatt agreed yesterday on naming Salam for position of PM.
Amal’s Developmen
t and Liberation bloc which is headed by Lebanon Speaker Nabih Berri decided to nominate MP Salam as the future prime minister , MTV reported on Thursday.
MTV also reported on Thursday that Hezbollah is leaning toward nominating Salam for premiership.
Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) had reported earlier that Jumblatt had contacted March 8 officials in order to inquire if they support Salam’s candidacy, but he was met with vague answers “that were neither negative nor positive”.
Sources close to the Free Patriotic Movement however told VOL that an agreement over Salam had not been reached, explaining that he is not a consensual figure and is affiliated with the March 14 alliance.
LBCI later revealed that FPM leader MP Michel Aoun is expected to announce his position on the consultations over appointing a new premier on Friday after the Change and Reform bloc’s meeting.
President Michel Suleiman announced last week that the parliamentary consultations based on which the new premier will be named will take place on on Friday and Saturday (April 5 and 6) at the Baabda palace.
Following the consultations Suleiman will ask the PM designate to form the new government.
Tamam or Tammam is the son of the late Saeb Salam who served as Lebanon Prime Minister six times between 1952 and 1973.
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