The approval of the six-member oil committee during a cabinet session on Wednesday came as a “surprise,” An-Nahar reported Thursday, adding that the selection of the candidates had generated objections.
Also on Thursday, As-Safir cited an unnamed source as saying that Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi objected to the “Sunni” nominee appointed to the oil committee. An-Nahar also reported that Safadi had not been informed about the names of the candidates prior to the cabinet session.
The members of the new oil committee were selected along sectarian lines. An-Nahar identified them as: Walid Nasr (Catholic); Naser Hetayt (Shiite); Wissam Shebat (Maronite); Gabi Daaboul (Orthodox); Wissam al-Thahabi (Sunni) and Assem Abu Ibrahim (Druze).
In turn, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Nicolas Fattoush disapproved of discussing the appointments during the session because the subject had not been listed as an item on the cabinet’s agenda, As-Safir cited an anonymous source as saying.