Naharnet

Al-Rahi: We Reject Any Talk of Trilateral Power-Sharing, Constituent Assembly

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi renewed on Wednesday his sharp criticism over the political forces' failure to elect a president for the country, rejecting any talk of trilateral power-sharing between the major sects.

“There is talk nowadays about a constituent assembly and we reject from this moment any debate over trilateral power-sharing … because that would be a violation of the (1943 National) Pact,” said al-Rahi during a dinner hosted by the Maronite parish in the Australian city of Adelaide.

The patriarch added: “Talk of trilateral power-sharing means 'a plane with three wings' – one Sunni, one Shiite and one Christian, and this is against 94 years of religious coexistence in Lebanon.”

The National Pact is an unwritten agreement that set the basis for the political system in the country, which is based on sectarian distribution of power.

"Our dear MPs have not elected a president and we are now in the sixth month without a presidential election,” he added.

The Maronite patriarch denounced how “each of the political camps is waiting to see whether the Sunnis or the Shiites, Saudi Arabia or Iran, the Syrian regime or the opposition will emerge victorious.”

"Our MPs did not elect a president for the republic in the 14th (electoral) session and they did not secure the quorum,” al-Rahi lamented.

“I cannot accept, in the name of all citizens, these hidden intentions that are preventing the election of a president. I do not want my doubts to fall on anyone, they know themselves,” he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, lawmakers failed for the fifteenth time to elect a new president over a lack of quorum at parliament.

Lebanon has been without a president since May when the term of Michel Suleiman ended.

Hizbullah and MP Michel Aoun's Change and Reform bloc have been boycotting electoral sessions due to a disagreement with the March 14 camp over a compromise presidential candidate.

Z.A.

Y.R.


Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/153214