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New Government in Crisis-Hit Lebanon, But Protests Continue

Associated Press

   BEIRUT - A new Cabinet was announced in crisis-hit Lebanon late
   Tuesday, breaking a months-long impasse amid mass protests against the
   country's ruling elite and a crippling financial crisis, but
   demonstrations and violence continued.

   Hassan Diab, a 60-year-old former professor at the American University
   of Beirut, announced a Cabinet of 20 members -- mostly specialists
   supported by the Shi'ite group Hezbollah and allied political parties.

   The new government, which comes three months after former Prime
   Minister Saad Hariri resigned, was rejected by protesters who have been
   calling for sweeping reforms and a government made up of independent
   technocrats that can deal with the country's economic and financial
   crisis, the worst since the 1975-90 civil war.

   Even before the Cabinet was announced, thousands of people poured into
   the streets, closing major roads in the capital of Beirut and other
   parts of the country in protest. The protesters complained that
   political groups still were involved in the naming of the new
   ministers, even if they are specialists and academics. Later, a group
   of protesters near Parliament threw stones, firecrackers and sticks at
   security forces, who responded with tear gas and pepper spray.

   "We want a government of experts ... who are they kidding?" said one
   protester, Fadi Zakour. "We have been protesting for 90 days and we are
   not happy to close roads," he added.

   'Time to get to work'

   Diab saluted the protesters in the street and vowed to "work to fulfill
   your demands." In a speech addressing the country following the
   government announcement, he added that his Cabinet is the first
   government in the history of Lebanon to be made up entirely of
   technocrats and insisted the 20 ministers are specialists who have no
   political loyalties and are not partisan.

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