Oghassabian: The Government Has Already Been Formed

Lebanese Minister of State Jean Oghassabian of the Armenian Reconciliation Bloc told Lebanese media following his meeting with Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati: “Our political camp holds onto Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL). He added “The ministerial policy statement will highlight Miqati’s real intentions.”

Oghassabian, a key March 14 ally thinks the government has already been formed; “My personal analysis says there is a prearranged cabinet formation that will surface soon.”

Earlier last week , March 14 Forces MPs asked the Prime Minister Designate Mikati to clarify his stance on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) and the illegal weapons ( Weapons outside the control of the Lebanese army).

Mikati, backed by Hezbollah and its March 8 allies, was appointed by President Michel Suleiman as PM-designate to form the next cabinet, giving Hezbollah and its allies increased leverage in the country and provoking widespread protests.

Hezbollah brought down Hariri’s government on January 12 over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s (STL) indictment which is widely expected to implicate Hezbollah members in the assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri in 2005.

The Armenian Reconciliation Bloc is made of the SD Hunchakian Party parliamentarians along with the ADL (Ramgavar) parliamentarian. The four Armenian Reconciliation Bloc members are allied with the pro-western Hariri coalition; March 14 Forces, while the two remaining Armenian parliamentarians are affiliated with the ARF (Tashnak) party and are allied with Hezbollah led led “March 8” emerging government.