Jumblat: Christians Must Realize Difficulty of Aoun or Geagea's Election as President
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat stressed the need for the election of a president who is “not provocative” to another political camp, reported al-Mustaqbal newspaper on Monday.
He told the daily: “Christians must realize the difficulty of Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun or Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea's election as president.”
“They should reach an agreement over the nomination of an acceptable candidate who will not provoke others,” he explained.
“I was clear in my call on Aoun and Geagea to withdraw their candidacies in order to launch a search for a consensual presidential candidate,” Jumblat added.
Furthermore, he noted that even Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi has become aware that the nomination of Aoun and Geagea “will lead to a dead end and prolong the crisis.”
“We must kick off calm dialogue while we can before we reach tenser times that will prevent us from achieving our goals,” said the PSP chief.
“Dialogue is the only way to end the crisis,” he emphasized to al-Mustaqbal.
He also hailed the recent position of Mustaqbal Movement leader MP Saad Hariri, who stressed the need to commit to the Taef Accord, and rejected Aoun's proposal for a constitutional amendment that would allow the people to elect a president.
Hariri delivered a speech on Friday during which he proposed a roadmap that includes the election of a new president, formation of a new cabinet that is similar to the current one, withdrawal of Hizbullah's fighters from Syria, and establishment of a comprehensive plan to combat terrorism.
He also urged against the extension of parliament's term, but remarked that parliamentary polls should take place after electing a new president.
Lebanon has been plunged in vacuum in the presidency since the term of President Michel Suleiman ended in May.
Geagea has announced his candidacy in the elections, while Aoun has said that he will run in the polls if there is consensus over his nomination.
Jumblat's Democratic Gathering had voiced its backing to candidate MP Henri Helou, deeming him a non-provocative figure.
M.T.
H.K.
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