Press review 20-12-2013

Press review 20‐12‐2013 Now Lebanon Fatfat denies tension between Future, Suleiman http://bit.ly/19gTgWu
BEIRUT – Future bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat dismissed media reports claiming that there were intense disagreements between his party and President Michel Suleiman. “Our relation with the president is excellent… We fully trust him,” Fatfat told Future television on Friday. “I find it strange how people read this newspaper; it [writes] many untrue news,” the Future official said in reference to pro‐Hezbollah Al‐Akhbar newspaper which published the said claims. Earlier on Friday, the aforementioned daily suggested that tension arose between Suleiman and the Future Movement after the latter learned the president’s readiness to agree to the 9‐9‐6 cabinet formation formula, which the Future bloc strongly opposes. “Suleiman proposed this idea to Future bloc leader MP Fouad Siniora, who angrily responded: Form the cabinet without the Future Movement,” sources said in remarks made to Al‐Akhbar newspaper. Prime Minister‐designate Tammam Salam is struggling to achieve the formation of his cabinet, months after the resignation of caretaker PM Najib Miqati. He cited the pre‐conditions imposed by the opposing March 14 and March 8 blocs as a reason behind the delays in the process. Hezbollah and the March 8 bloc back the 9‐9‐6 government proposal, which calls for the March 8 and 14 alliances to receive nine ministers each, while centrists would hold six seats in the cabinet. March 14 parties have rejected the proposal. Lebanon leaders attempt to resolve cabinet deadlock http://bit.ly/1bUt2Xs
BEIRUT – Media reports claimed that several of Lebanon’s top leaders and leading parties are trying to reach a common ground regarding the formation of the new cabinet which has been pending for months. Sources told As‐Safir newspaper in comments published Friday that President Michel Suleiman is ready to sign the decree stating that the cabinet must be formed according to the 9‐9‐6 formula “if all the parties agreed to it.” “Suleiman will not take any step that might affect stability… on the internal, regional and international levels,” sources close to the head of state told Al‐
Joumhouria daily. However, other sources claimed that tension arose between Suleiman and the Future Movement after the latter learned the president’s readiness to agree to the said ministerial formation formula. “Suleiman proposed this idea to Future bloc leader MP Fouad Siniora, who angrily responded: Form the cabinet without the Future Movement,” the sources said in remarks made to Al‐Akhbar newspaper. Meanwhile, Al‐Anbaa daily suggested that March 14’s Kataeb party is considering approving the 9‐9‐6 formula “to prevent constitutional vacuum.” The same newspaper also claimed that the Kataeb party is attempting to “convince Christian parties in the March 14 alliance to accept this formula.” Prime Minister‐designate Tammam Salam is struggling to achieve the formation of his cabinet, months after the resignation of caretaker PM Najib Miqati. He cited the pre‐conditions imposed by the opposing March 14 and March 8 blocs as a reason behind the delays in the process. Hezbollah and the March 8 bloc back the 9‐9‐6 government proposal, which calls for the March 8 and 14 alliances to receive nine ministers each, while centrists would hold six seats in the cabinet. March 14 parties have rejected the proposal. March 8 parties, in turn, have rejected the notion of a fait accompli cabinet, which could be formed by Suleiman and Salam without the consensus of the country’s political parties. L’Orient Le Jour Sleiman appelle les magistrats à ne pas céder aux pressions http://bit.ly/1dVmjw4
Recevant hier le nouveau conseil de l'ordre des avocats, sous la présidence du bâtonnier Georges Jreige, le président Michel Sleiman a invité les magistrats à ne pas céder aux pressions, en insistant sur le fait que des efforts sont déployés pour consacrer l'indépendance de la magistrature. Selon lui, les résultats de ces efforts ne tarderont pas à apparaître. Il a dans le même temps plaidé pour une complémentarité entre les avocats et les juges, celle‐ci étant de nature à assainir, selon lui, le climat judiciaire dans le pays. M. Sleiman, qui s'est félicité de l'élection, d'un nouveau conseil de l'ordre a mis l'accent sur l'importance du principe de l'alternance au pouvoir et de la démocratie. Il a également souligné l'importance du fonctionnement des institutions en tant qu'entités entières, avant d'appeler à préserver l'unité nationale, à se conformer à la déclaration de Baabda et à poursuivre l'application de l'accord de Taëf. Le chef de l'État a relevé le soutien politique et économique apporté en ce moment par la communauté internationale au Liban, en mettent l'accent sur la nécessité de former un nouveau gouvernement et d'organiser la présidentielle dans les délais. Plus tard, M. Sleiman a reçu le président du Conseil supérieur de la magistrature, le juge Jean Fahd, avec qui il a passé en revue des questions liées aux activités de la magistrature. Il a insisté devant lui sur une intensification du travail des tribunaux pour clore au plus tôt les procès.