Members of Lebanon’s new cabinet pose for an official group photo at the presidential palace in Baabda, near Beirut June 15, 2011. The members are: (front row L-R) Minister of State Mohammad Fneish, Minister of Health Ali Hassan Khalil, Minister of Public Works and Transport Ghazi Aridi, Deputy Prime Minister Samir Moqbel, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Lebanon’s President Michel Suleiman, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Minister of State Nicolas Fattoush, Minister of State Ali Qanso, Finance Minister Mohammed Safadi, Minister of Social Affairs Wael Abu Faour, (middle row L- R) Minister of Defense Fayez Ghosn, Minister of State Ahmad Karami, Minister of State Salim Karam, Minister of Labor Charbel Nahhas, Minister of Energy and Water Gebran Bassil, Minister of Agriculture Hussein Haj Hassan, Minister of Tourism Fadi Abboud, Minister of the Displaced Alaaeddine Terro, Minister of Environment Nazem Khoury, Minister of Justice Shakib Qortbawi, (Back row L-R) Minister of Telecommunications Nicolas Sehnawi, Minister of Education Hassan Diab, Minister of Information Walid Daouq, Minister of Interior Marwan Charbel, Minister of Foreign Affairs Adnan Mansour, Minister of Economy Nicolas Nahhas, Minister of Industry Vrej Sabounjian, Minister of State Panos Manjian, Minister of Culture Gaby Layyoun and Minister of Sports and Youth Faisal Karami. REUTERS/Dalati Nohra

BEIRUT (MEO) — Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on
Monday that his new government, in which Israel’s archfoe Hizbullah and its
allies hold the majority of portfolios, will not thrust the country into the
radical camp.

“The fact that Hizbullah and its allies have 18 seats
in the 30-member cabinet does not mean that the country will join the radical
camp in terms of its relations with the international community,” Mikati
said in an exclusive interview shortly after announcing his government line-up,
ending nearly five months of arduous talks.

“Lebanon has always had very good relations with the
international community and we would like to maintain stability in the
country,” he added.

Mikati said that it was significant that more than a third —
12 — of the ministers were appointed by himself, the president or Druze leader
Walid Jumblatt, thus ensuring Hizbullah and its allies could not make decisions
unilaterally.

Washington, which blacklists Hizbullah as a terrorist
organization, had warned that a government controlled by the Syrian- and
Iranian-backed Shi’a militant party could endanger bilateral ties.

However since his appointment in January, Mikati has
endeavoured to portray himself as an independent politician not under
Hizbullah’s control.

The United States said on Monday that it would judge the new
government “by its actions.”

The previous government headed by Saad Hariri was brought
down by Hizbullah in a dispute over a UN-backed probe into the 2005
assassination of Hariri’s father, ex-premier Rafiq Hariri.

The Netherlands-based Special Tribunal for Lebanon is
expected to implicate Hizbullah members in the killing.

Mikati has refused to clearly state what his position will
be on the tribunal, insisting only that Lebanon would respect its international
obligations.

“We will assess the implications of the tribunal on
Lebanon and on Lebanon’s stability and act accordingly,” he said on
Monday, when asked to say whether his government would continue to support the
tribunal.

“I can say that I will do my best to deal with the
issue so that Lebanon continues to respect international resolutions — yet I
have responsibilities when it comes to Lebanon’s stability,” he added
without elaborating.

He said he regretted the fact that Saad Hariri’s
Western-backed bloc had chosen to boycott his government, adding that he was
committed to representing all Lebanese.

“I would have preferred a unity government in which all
Lebanese are represented but unfortunately they refused,” he said,
referring to Hariri and his allies.

He said his top priority in drawing up the new government’s
program would be tackling Lebanon’s economic problems, notably the drain on
public finances posed by the heavily loss-making state power utility.

He acknowledged that the negotiations with the Hizbullah-led
bloc, which includes Christian leader Michel Aoun, had been at times thorny but
said he was keen to move forward.

“Everything that happened before today is now behind
us,” he said. “We must now work towards a bright future for Lebanon
and its citizens.”