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Lebanon's opposition names PM candidate

05 April 2013 02:46 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Lebanon's opposition March 14 forces said Thursday that Tammam Salam, a former culture minister, has been chosen as their nominee for premiership, APA reports quoting XInhua.

The opposition will inform President Michel Suleiman about the decision during the parliamentary consultation later this week.

Salam is considered a centrist figure and was elected to the parliament twice in 1996 and 2009. He served as the culture minister from 2008 to 2009. His father was a former prime minister and leader of the Sunni sect in Lebanon for decades.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati offered his cabinet's resignation on March 22 following the failure to reach an agreement over extending the mandate of Internal Security Forces Director General Ashraf Rifi and the formation of the Elections Overseeing Committee.

According to LBCI television, members of the March 14 forces held a broad meeting to exclusively discuss this issue to naming a candidate. Salam later joined the meeting after arriving from a trip to Saudi Arabia.

Several media reports have said that Salam would be the potential head of the next government, especially in light of his recent trip to Saudi Arabia.

Earlier on Thursday, Salam held talks with former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who is now March 14's leader, at the latter's residence in Riyadh on various issues, most notably the government situation in Lebanon.

Salam thanked March 14 for nominating him, hoping that this will "reflect in the best interest of Lebanon."

MTV also reported that Hezbollah is likely to nominate Salam to the premiership "because he is a consensual and non-provocative figure."