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Lebanon Christian Leader Rules out Joining Hariri Government

Reuters

   BEIRUT - The leader of Lebanon's biggest Christian political party on
   Sunday ruled out joining a new government led by Prime
   Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri, a new hurdle for efforts to pull the
   country out of political paralysis.

   Politicians have been at loggerheads over the shape of a new
   administration since the last one quit in the aftermath of the Aug. 4
   Beirut port explosion, leaving Lebanon rudderless as it sinks deeper
   into economic crisis.

   Veteran Sunni politician Hariri was named premier for a fourth time in
   October promising to form a cabinet of specialists to enact reforms
   necessary to unlock foreign aid.

   But Gebran Bassil, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, the biggest
   Christian bloc, and son-in-law of President Michel Aoun, said in a
   televised speech his movement would not join the cabinet as long as
   Hariri insisted on choosing all ministers.

   "We don't entrust Hariri alone with reform in Lebanon," Bassil said.
   "In short we don't want to take part in this government."

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