Mikati Forms 'No-Hate Cabinet' Sworn to Conduct Elections on Time
Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Tuesday formed a 14-man "no-hate government" sworn to conduct Lebanon's parliamentary elections on schedule in May as non-runners.
"It's a government representing Lebanon's plurality, which will spare no effort to conduct the elections on deadline," Mikati said in announcing the cabinet lineup from the Baabda palace.
Mikati said President Lahoud and Speaker Berri endorsed the new cabinet in a meeting he held with them at the presidential palace before the decrees were made public.
The key interior ministry post went to Hassan Sabaa, one of the most renowned retired generals who served in Lebanon's General Security Department, or Surete Generale. He is a non-partisan.
Elias Murr, Lahoud's son-in-law who served as interior minister in slain ex-premier Hariri's latest government, was named vice premier and given the defense portfolio in the new government.
Lahoud's advisor on Fracophonie affairs, Charles Rizk, was named information minister and Ghassan Salameh, Hariri's longtime culture minister, who is now living in Paris, was returned to the post.
Mahmoud Hammoud retained the foreign ministry portfolio and he immediately denied opposition charges that he was scheming to sabotage the international investigation of Hariri's assassination.
Mikati said the new cabinet would hold its first meeting Tuesday evening to set up a committee to write the government's policy statement on the strength of which it would seek a vote of confidence in parliament early next week.
This is the full cabinet lineup:
1-Najib Mikati Prime Minister
2-Elias Murr Vice Premier and Defense Minister
3-Retired General Hassan Sabaa Interior Minister
4-Ghassan Salameh Minister of Education and Culture
5-Mahmoud Hammoud Foreign Minister
6-Damianos Kattar for finance and economy
7-Adel Hamieh for public works and displaced
8-Alain Tabourian for telecommunications, youth and sports
9-Khaled Kabbani for justice
10-Bassam Yammine for energy and industry
11-Chales Rizk for information and tourism
12-Mohammed Khalifeh for public health and social affairs
13-Tarek Mitri for environment and administrative development
14-Trad Hamadeh for labor and agriculture.
"It's a government representing Lebanon's plurality, which will spare no effort to conduct the elections on deadline," Mikati said in announcing the cabinet lineup from the Baabda palace.
Mikati said President Lahoud and Speaker Berri endorsed the new cabinet in a meeting he held with them at the presidential palace before the decrees were made public.
The key interior ministry post went to Hassan Sabaa, one of the most renowned retired generals who served in Lebanon's General Security Department, or Surete Generale. He is a non-partisan.
Elias Murr, Lahoud's son-in-law who served as interior minister in slain ex-premier Hariri's latest government, was named vice premier and given the defense portfolio in the new government.
Lahoud's advisor on Fracophonie affairs, Charles Rizk, was named information minister and Ghassan Salameh, Hariri's longtime culture minister, who is now living in Paris, was returned to the post.
Mahmoud Hammoud retained the foreign ministry portfolio and he immediately denied opposition charges that he was scheming to sabotage the international investigation of Hariri's assassination.
Mikati said the new cabinet would hold its first meeting Tuesday evening to set up a committee to write the government's policy statement on the strength of which it would seek a vote of confidence in parliament early next week.
This is the full cabinet lineup:
1-Najib Mikati Prime Minister
2-Elias Murr Vice Premier and Defense Minister
3-Retired General Hassan Sabaa Interior Minister
4-Ghassan Salameh Minister of Education and Culture
5-Mahmoud Hammoud Foreign Minister
6-Damianos Kattar for finance and economy
7-Adel Hamieh for public works and displaced
8-Alain Tabourian for telecommunications, youth and sports
9-Khaled Kabbani for justice
10-Bassam Yammine for energy and industry
11-Chales Rizk for information and tourism
12-Mohammed Khalifeh for public health and social affairs
13-Tarek Mitri for environment and administrative development
14-Trad Hamadeh for labor and agriculture.
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