Lebanon's Western-backed bloc says not to join new gov't
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Lebanon's Western-backed March 14 Alliance on Sunday officially announced it will not join the cabinet to be headed by Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati, whom it said failed to make clear commitments relating to a UN-backed tribunal.
The coalition, headed by caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri, convened at a hotel in Beirut to announce they will not join Mikati's cabinet.
The March 14 Alliance also accused Shiite armed group Hezbollah and its allies in the March 8 coalition of staging a coup to topple Saad Hariri. Hariri's cabinet was brought down on Jan. 12 after 11 ministers affiliated with the March 8 handed their resignations following a dispute over the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), which is probing the 2005 assassination of Lebanese former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri.
"The March 14 forces refuse to legitimize this coup and will not stand silent in the face of violations being committed," said former Prime Minister Faoud Siniora following the meeting that gathered 60 lawmakers.
The March 14 Alliance also accused Hezbollah of making use of its arsenal to intimidate the Lebanese people.
The Netherlands-based STL is widely expected to point the finger at Hezbollah members, drawing fears that the country is dragged into Sunni-Shiite strife. The powerful Shiite group has waged a campaign against the STL, calling on the government of Saad Hariri to sever ties with the court, however, Hariri refused to cave in to the demands of Hezbollah, leading to the collapse of his government.
The March 14 Alliance has asked for reassurances from Mikati that his government will not cut ties with the STL, but the latter has not made a clear commitment, according to the March 14.
Mikati was nominated on Jan. 25 by 68 lawmakers, the majority of whom are from the Hezbollah-led March 8.
The March 14 Alliance accused their rivals in the March 8 of jeopardizing all attempts to form an "all-inclusive and balanced" cabinet. Mikati has held extensive meeting with March 14 figures to convince them to join his cabinet but his efforts hit a dead end.
The March 14 said the March 8 has made use of Hezbollah's arsenal to stage a coup against the constitution and the country's democratic system.
"The March 14 camp will confront this coup through all means available in the framework of its commitment to the practice of democracy," said Siniora, who read the meeting's final statement.
Meanwhile, retired Lebanese Army Brigadier General, security and political analyst Amine Hoteit said the March 14 Alliance's announcement will not shift the balance of power in the country. " I don't think it will impact on Lebanese security and stability," he told Xinhua.
Hoteit said Mikati now has two choices to form a government, either a political cabinet comprising 24 to 30 members or a 20-to- 24-member cabinet made up of technocrats.
"Parties which nominated Mikati are not in favor of a government of technocrats so he might end up forming a political cabinet," he added.
