Introduction to the evening news 03-07-2012

Today's legislative session and both cabinet sessions scheduled for today and tomorrow were suspended in a wait for a political solution. The direct reason behind this suspension is the ratification of the draft law granting tenure to EDL contract workers at yesterday’s parliamentary session. Criticism even reached to the management of the parliamentary session.              

Amid these cancellations, the reconciliatory atmosphere expected to prevail over today’s cabinet session dissipated. Exclusive sources told LBCI that the consensus was near as diplomatic lineups were completed and an agreement was reached on the appointment of three governors for South Lebanon, Mount Lebanon and Beirut.            

In light of this fading optimism, two major events caught our attention:           

First, the divide between March 14 and March 8 was blurred as Christian parliamentary blocs took a joint decision to boycott the legislative session.                 

Second, the long-buried dispute between House Speaker Nabih Berri and General Michel Aoun resurged. The dispute over the EDL contract workers was only the tip of the iceberg that began to rise a long time ago between the two allies. This clash loomed in many occasions, and was not mitigated by the fact that Aoun gave up Minister Charbel Nahas whose presence would have been decisive for the quorum. Today, Aoun announced that no matter what, he will not change his position on the Resistance which he considers to be a “national necessity”.