Lebanon without govt as Syria simmers

BEIRUT: Lebanon yesterday was without a government after the surprise resignation the day before of Premier Najib Mikati and as it battled deep divisions triggered by the civil war in neighboring Syria.
The head of the government in which the Shiite movement Hezbollah, a key ally of Damascus, holds powerful sway, formally submitted its resignation yesterday to President Michel Sleiman who asked that it continue in a caretaker capacity.
Mikati announced his government’s resignation late on Friday, citing divisions on several domestic issues, and called for a national unity government.
“I announce the resignation of the government, hoping that this will open the way for the major political blocs to take responsibility and come together to bring Lebanon out of the unknown,” Mikati said.
He called for the “formation of a national salvation government in which all Lebanese political forces are represented in order to save the nation and deal with regional developments with a collective spirit of responsibility.”
Mikati’s decision to step down came after disagreements on two domestic issues, the formation of an elections supervisory commission and extending a security chief’s mandate. The 57-year-old was involved in a contentious bid to extend the term of the Sunni head of Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces, Gen. Ashraf Rifi, which was opposed by a majority of the government.
“In a few days a major security institution risks falling into the void when its director general retires. I felt that during this sensitive period that he should stay in office... but I found that the council of ministers does not share my opinion on this,” he said in announcing his resignation.
Rifi, a Sunni and opponent of Syria, was a thorn in the side of Hezbollah.