Lebanon: Possible Breakthrough in Political Stalemate

Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati has reportedly come to an agreement on the interior ministry portfolio candidate after four months of wrangling between parties had held up the formation of the a new government.  Mikati is due to finalize the 30-member cabinet soon.  The country has been under a caretaker government under PM Saad Hariri whose government was toppled in January by the Hezbollah backed March 8 coalition.  The intensified effort to mediate a solution in recent days reportedly came under Syrian pressure.  The main disagreement over the interior ministry had been between Lebanese President Michel Sleiman and Christian leader Michel Aoun.  The new government’s main task will be to form a unified stance with upcoming U.N. indictments on the killing of former PM Rafik Hariri, which is expected to name several Hezbollah members.  The delay in forming a government has hurt the Lebanese economy, losing 2.5% in annual growth projections while a 2011 budget proposal remains stuck in parliament.