 As the country mourned its latest loss Beirut MP Gebran Tueni, the deadlock between the Shiite ministers and the majority coalition in the government continued, with the Amal-Hizbullah ministers asserting they would not participate in Thursday's Cabinet session. Energy and Water Minister Mohammad Fneish reiterated the decision of Shiite ministers to boycott the Cabinet session, and told The Daily Star that ministers from both Hizbullah and the Amal Movement are "standing by our decision."
| It's a variant on the same tiresome tactics of the MMA in Pakland... |
Asked whether there had been any contact made by premier Fouad Siniora regarding the issue, Fneish said: "We are not concerned with any calls that might be made. We are still taking our time to discuss our position with our authorities."
| "We got all the time in the world. Our masters in Teheran haven't told us what to do yet." |
The Shiite ministers had withdrawn from Monday's Cabinet session, and suspended their participation pending talks with their leaders after they rejected the vote to call for an international court to look into the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri.
| "That Mehlis fellow is entirely too competent. We'd rather have a Leb handling it. They're controlled a lot more easily." |
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's office told The Daily Star that the Cabinet session will still go on Thursday in the absence of any presence by the coalition of Shiite ministers. "I don't think the Shiite ministers will attend the Cabinet session, but it will go on as normal," a spokesperson said. He added: "However, it is important to note that the ministers are operating in their ministries as usual, and they are not boycotting their work in their administrations."
|