Mikati: I am ready to appoint Salameh’s successor

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati wants to avoid political headaches. He continues to run the country amid a presidential vacancy without provoking the Christian parties, despite strained relations for the past several months.

Instead of convening cabinet sessions, he convenes “ministerial meetings” devoted to current affairs. The most recent meeting was held last Monday at the Grand Serail to mainly discuss Syrian refugees— a topic that has been in the news in recent weeks.

Fourteen ministers attended the meeting, including those close to the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), which continues to boycott cabinet meetings because they believe a caretaker cabinet cannot convene in the absence of a president

“The cabinet is not paralyzed. It meets when it is urgent and necessary,” Mikati told L’Orient-Le Jour. “Meanwhile, we will hold ministerial meetings.” The caretaker prime minister, however, took advantage of the FPM ministers’ presence on Monday to urge them to reconsider their position.

“You are expressing a political position. But what you’re doing [by boycotting cabinet meetings] is harming the citizens’ interests. Everyone must meet their responsibilities. So, I call on you to participate in the cabinet meetings,” said Mikati at the Monday meeting.

In an apparent attempt to ease his team’s concerns, Mikati “pledged that decisions will be made by the majority, and that scheduled meetings will be held to agree on the agenda.”

But these guarantees seem insufficient. The FPM’s “position regarding cabinet sessions remains unchanged,” caretaker Justice Minister Henri Khoury told the local MTV channel on Tuesday.

The Caretaker Minister of the Displaced, Issam Charafeddine, was more optimistic.

“All ministers will take part in a cabinet session dedicated to the issue of Syrian refugees,” he told L’Orient-Le Jour, though Mikati later clarified that the issue will be discussed at a May 22 ministerial meeting.

A president before July?

Mikati also addressed the appointment of a new Banque du Liban (BDL) governor, as Riad Salameh’s term expires in July.

Many see the end of Salameh’s term as a hard deadline for the presidential election, so the next president may provide input on his successor.

“I will not accept any extension of Mr. Salameh’s term, not even for a minute,” Mikati said on Monday. “I am ready to hold a cabinet session dedicated to this issue if caretaker Finance Minister Youssef Khalil [close to Berri] submits names to me,” he told L’Orient-Le Jour.

Mikati does not want to bear the brunt of a move that would provoke the Christian parties. He punted the issue back to his political supporter, Berri, who also does not seem willing to take on the responsibility. Berri is particularly opposed to the suggestion that BDL’s first deputy governor, Wassim Mansouri, assumes the position of governor.

Unconfirmed rumors about Mansouri’s possible resignation, allegedly started by Berri, seem to suggest that — if he resigns — the political class will be forced to allow Salameh to remain in his position.

“We will not accept that the head of state has no say in the appointment of the BDL governor,” said Berri yesterday to his visitors, calling for the presidential election to be held by June 15.

In a Wednesday statement from his press office, Berri expressed hope “that the danger of a vacancy in the leadership of the central bank will push towards the election of a president as soon as possible.”

It is therefore out of the question for Berri to support a cabinet session to appoint Salameh’s successor while the presidency remains vacant.

Does it mean that Salameh will remain in his post?

This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour. Translation by Joelle El Khoury.