Sleiman demands new names for elections supervision committee

President of the Republic, General Michel Sleiman, adjourned on Friday the cabinet session, demanding further deliberations to suggest new names for the elections supervision committee. The Cabinet convened on Friday afternoon at Baabda presidential palace, under the chairmanship of Lebanese President, Michel Sleiman, in presence of Prime Minister, Najib Mikati. In the wake of the session, Acting Information Minister, Wael Abu Faour, relayed the President's keenness on resorting to dialogue as means to remedy the nation's political unrest. "This is how Lebanon was built, and this is how it should remain. Lebanon is in dire need for pacifying discourse," Abu Faour said as quoting the President. Abu Faour added that following heated discussions over the elections supervision committee, attending Ministers split in opinion over the matter -- some utterly rejected the formation of a supervision committee, whereas others fully supported the matter. "The President requested from the Interior Minister [Marwan Charbel] to suggest names to launch the voting process, however, the proposed names failed to attain the required number of votes due to the fact that some ministers had initially objected over the formation of a committee," Abu Faour said. He went on to say that this had prompted Sleiman to say, "I don't imagine a cabinet session without having the formation of an elections supervision committee topping its agenda." Abu Faour said that the President later adjourned the session and tasked Charbel to hold further deliberations with the Prime Minister to suggest new names for the committee, no sooner than next week. The Acting Information Minister went on to relay the Prime Minister's support to President Sleiman. "We are one. I will not call for a session if it is not presided by your Excellency," Mikati told Slieman. Albeit, Abu Faour said that Mikati had brought up with Sleiman the nearing expiry of ISF General Director, Major General Ashraf Rifi's mandate. "The Prime Minister had suggested the the reappointement of of Rifi as the ISF General Director after retirment," Abu Faour added.