Lebanon forms 30-member cabinet

Lebanon forms 30-member cabinet

2011-06-13 21:22:56 GMT+7 (ICT)

BEIRUT, LEBANON (BNO NEWS) -- Lebanon's President Michel Sleiman on Monday announced that a new 30-member Cabinet was formed following the resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

Sleiman issued two decrees recognizing Hariri's step down and the composition of a new government, led by newly appointed PM Najib Mikati. The third decree was signed by both Sleiman and Mikati.

The new 30-member Cabinet has a majority of ministers from the Hezbollah-led March 8 coalition (18 seats). According to the joint decree, the new government will serve the needs of all the Lebanese people.

The announcement of the new government was made following a meeting between Sleiman, Mikati and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at the Baabda Palace. The three decided the line-up for the 30-member Cabinet.

The most unusual change was the appointment of seven Sunni ministers and five Shiites. Usually, the number of Sunnis to Shiites has been equal in past Lebanese governments.

The government of former PM Hariri collapsed due to differences with the Hezbollah-led coalitions following the support of the former Premier to the United Nations-backed investigation of the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

At least 11 ministers from the March 8 coalition resigned after the collapse of the Saudi-Syrian initiative that failed to resolve the political tension caused by the UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

During the UN-supported investigation, Lebanon's rival factions fought arguing that the probe was being misled with false testimonies. The special tribunal was set up as an independent agency after the UN found that the Lebanese probe on the murder was flawed.

Hezbollah claimed that the UN-backed tribunal's probe was marred by witnesses who gave false information and urged the Lebanese government to deal with these 'false witnesses' in the tribunal.

Hezbollah Secretary General Al-Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah said last November that his group had no involvement in the murder of PM Hariri and 22 others. He added that they will not tolerate any accusation against any member of the organization.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-06-13