Lebanon’s Prime Minister-Designate Salam Meets With Armenian Solidar

Lebanon’s Prime Minister-Designate Salam Meets With Armenian Solidarity Bloc

By admin Updated: April 10, 2013

Lebanon’s Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam began a second day of
consultations Wednesday by meeting with parliamentary blocs, including
the Armenian Solidarity Bloc, over the formation of a new Cabinet.
Salam is expected to form a national unity government, a process that
could take him a long time because of the sharp divisions among
Lebanese politicians, which have increased during the past two years
as a result of Syria’s crisis.

Representing the Armenian Solidarity Bloc, MP Sebouh Kalpakian, called
for a technocrat government in charge of organizing the elections as
scheduled, while seeking approval of an electoral law that would
guarantee a healthy representation of the Lebanese people.
`We don’t want Armenians to be marginalized. We want key [Cabinet]
portfolios that suit Armenian’s role and sacrifices,’ Kalpakian told
reporters after the meeting.
Outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati resigned last month over a
political deadlock between Lebanon’s two main political camps and
infighting in his government. Mikati, who was prime minister since
June 2011, headed a government that was dominated by the Shiite Muslim
Hezbollah group and its allies.
Within the Lebanese Parliament, Lebanon’s ethnic Armenian population
maintains six seats; four Armenian Parliamentarians; three SD
Hunchakian Party parliamentarians along with the ADL (Ramgavar)
parliamentarian constitute the Armenian Solidarity Bloc and are allied
with the pro-western March 14 Forces. The two remaining Armenian
parliamentarians are affiliated with the ARF (Tashnak) party and are
allied with Hezbollah led `March 8′ government.

From: Baghdasarian