Tuesday's cabinet session: Latest developments

The country’s political forces are holding intensive contacts ahead of Tuesday’s cabinet session that will discuss the thorny issue of Hezbollah’s disarmament, amid an inclination toward consensus, with some media reports suggesting that no final decision would be taken in the session and that discussions would continue in another session on Thursday.

President Joseph Aoun is keen that the final format be acceptable to all political forces, media reports said, adding that the Lebanese Forces ministers will present a proposal that does not seem to be acceptable to the other political forces.

Speaker Nabih Berri, who has asked the Shiite Duo ministers to attend the session and take part in discussions, is meanwhile refusing to give a final stance on any proposal before the ministers look into it in Tuesday’s session, the reports said.

The reports added that there is major coordination between Aoun and Berri out of their desire to “prevent any domestic political clash that would torpedo cabinet sessions.”

“The U.S. response to the Lebanese paper contained minor amendments, but it mentioned the need for Lebanon to take the first step in the issue of arms monopolization, something considered by Hezbollah to be against the Ministerial Statement, which mentions the ceasefire, Israel withdrawal and addressing the issue of arms,” the reports said.

“That’s why Hezbollah will announce its adherence to the content of the Ministerial Statement and will demand its full implementation,” the reports added.