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Lebanon finally forms government Lebanon finally forms government
(1 day later)
Lebanese President Michel Suleiman has announced the formation of the 30-member national-unity cabinet - five months after a general election. Lebanon's prime minister-designate Saad Hariri has formed a new 30-member unity government, ending five months of deadlock since the general election.
Five ministers were chosen by President Suleiman, and 15 are from PM-designate Saad Hariri's Western-backed coalition. Fifteen ministers are from Mr Hariri's majority coalition, while five were nominated by President Michel Suleiman.
The remaining 10 are from the opposition, including two members of Hezbollah, which struck a deal with the governing coalition last week. The remaining 10 ministers are from the opposition, including two members of the Islamist group Hezbollah, which struck a deal with Mr Hariri last week.
The deadlock over the new government had threatened Lebanon's stability.The deadlock over the new government had threatened Lebanon's stability.
Mr Hariri's coalition won a narrow majority in June's election, but needed to negotiate with the opposition to form a unity government. "Finally, a government of national unity is born," Mr Hariri said, adding that it "opened a new page that we hope will be one of agreement and co-operation".
"Finally, a government of national unity is born," Mr Hariri said. But the Western-backed leader also sounded a cautious note.
"I want to be honest from the start: this government can be a chance to renew faith in the state and its institutions... or it can turn into a replay of our failures." "This cabinet will either be a chance for Lebanon to renew trust in its institutions, or it will be a stage where the Lebanese will repeat their failure in achieving agreement," he said.
'Real partnership''Real partnership'
Although his party has 15 cabinet positions, with Hezbollah and allies ten, neither side has outright control. Mr Hariri, 39, spent more than four months agreeing the assignment of portfolios with the opposition groups in the unity government.
Hezbollah representative Mohammed Fneish told the Associated Press news agency: "This formula achieves the principle of real partnership in political decision-making on key decisions." This formula achieves the principle of real partnership in political decision-making on key decisions Mohammed Fneish, Hezbollah
The five ministers appointed by President Sleiman include key interior and defence portfolios. Correspondents say a meeting in October between the leaders of the two sides' main backers, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, is thought to have helped ease the rift.
One of the delays was prompted by Christian leader Michel Aoun, a Hezbollah ally, who insisted on retaining the sensitive telecommunications ministry. The Lebanese prime minister-designate's Sunni Muslim Future movement and its Maronite Christian and Druze allies have 15 ministers in the cabinet.
Mr Hariri accepted his demand after initially rejecting it. Hezbollah hold two of the new cabinet posts, one more than in the previous government. Its allies, the Shia Amal movement and the bloc of the Maronite Christian leader and former general Michel Aoun, have another eight.
Mr Hariri led what many described as an anti-Syrian coalition to victory in the elections five months ago. Mr Aoun succeeded in retaining control of the telecommunications ministry, which his son-in-law Gibran Bassil previously ran. Mr Hariri had rejected a demand for Mr Bassil to be reappointed.
Syria was a significant political player in neighbouring Lebanon for nearly 30 years until the death of Mr Hariri's father, Rafik, in 2005. The post is considered sensitive because a government threat to shut down Hezbollah's private communications network in 2008 triggered bloody sectarian clashes throughout Lebanon between the Shia group and supporters of the pro-Western government.
The five remaining ministers, including those of interior and defence, were nominated by President Suleiman, who is considered a neutral.
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They will hold the balance of power, as without them Mr Hariri's supporters will be unable to gain a simple majority, and the opposition will not be able to block decisions.
One of Hezbollah's representatives in the cabinet, Mohammed Fneish, told the Associated Press that "this formula achieves the principle of real partnership in political decision-making on key decisions".
Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the formation of the new government and called on it to "recommit to the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701", which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.
The opposition retained control of the key telecommunications ministry
"The secretary-general hopes that Lebanese political leaders will continue to work together in a spirit of unity, dialogue and co-operation," his spokeswoman said.
The government's first task will be to draw up a policy statement and present it to parliament for a vote of confidence. Mr Hariri is also expected to visit Damascus for the first time since his anti-Syrian coalition came to power in 2005.
The Syrian government was blamed for the assassination of his father Rafik, a former prime minister, in February that year, and eventually forced in its wake to withdraw its troops from Lebanon after 29 years. Damascus has denied any responsibility.