By Xinhua,
Beirut : Lebanon has not yet formed a cabinet till now as the pro-government Christian parties have been unable to reach an agreement on the distribution of cabinet portfolios, Local Al-Akhbar daily reported Tuesday.
However, an agreement was reached between Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun and Lebanese Prime Minister-designated Fouad Seniora on the opposition’s share in the new cabinet, the report said.
“Close to five weeks were spent seeking out the demand of the opposition, it should not be too much to ask for five days to consider how to divide our share,” Lebanese Forces pro-government Christian leader Samir Geagea said Monday.
Media reports said that Geagea is demanding to get three cabinet portfolios since the Christian opposition got five portfolios.
Geagea also said his party “should be represented in a manner that reflects its popular and political weight.”
The Lebanese Forces member of parliament Antoine Zahra also told local Voice of Lebanon Radio that his party would not participate in government if it does not receive a cabinet share “reflecting its popular support.”
Meanwhile, Aoun claimed that “only one minister should represent the Lebanese Forces in the new cabinet,” explaining that his parliamentary block consists of 22 members of parliament (MP) to get five ministers, while the Lebanese Forces parliamentary block consists of five MPs, thus should get one minister.
“They have no right to delay the cabinet line-up for five days, or a day or even a minute” Aoun said.
Six weeks have passed since Seniora was assigned to form a national unity government, but he failed to succeed till now.
The Doha accord which was reached between Lebanese rival leaders on May 21 called for the immediate election of President Michel Suleiman, which took place on May 25, and for the formation of the national unity government.