An expected reshuffle in the Syrian cabinet will be decided during the next meeting for the central committee of the ruling Baath party, a well-informed Syrian source was quoted by ArabicNews.com as telling the London-based al-Zamaan on Sunday.
The source expected the central committee to convene its meeting between the end of march and the beginning of April after the Arab summit conclude its meetings in Amman.
The source indicated that the meeting of the central committee, which will discuss the achievement of Prime Minister Mustafa Miro's government, will be followed by a change operation and Miro has to submit his resignation.
But the Saudi Al Watan said early this month that the current cabinet has already tendered its resignation to President Bashar Al Assad who asked the council to run the country's affairs until a new government is formed.
Sources had told the paper that the reshuffle will include 40 percent of the present cabinet composition.
The paper stressed that new and young ministers will join the new government while posts will be exchanged among ministers.
Al-Jazira satellite channel has also reported that there would be changes in the upper echelons of Syria's government.
According to the station, Miro is included in the change, while Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara and Defense Minister Mustafa Tlas are expected to retain their positions.
However, the Emirati Al Bayan Arabic daily quoted a source as denying the sacking of the premier, stressing that Miro will be assigned to form the new cabinet.
Albawaba.com reported the expected change on January 29 when Syrian sources close to the political leadership said that a cabinet reshuffle was expected "soon" in the country, to include important ministerial and departmental changes and involve 56 directors general of services and economic establishments in the country.
Albawaba.com report said, however, that a cabinet reshuffling would not take place for at least one year after the date of the present cabinet formation so that the new ministers who took posts in Miro's cabinet could retire as ministers.
The last reshuffle took place shortly before the death of the late president Hafez Assad last June - Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
