Naharnet

Report: New President Expected before New Year

The upcoming weeks could be decisive in determining the election of a president given the regional and international interest to end the vacuum at the Baabda Palace, reported the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat on Sunday.

Christian sources from the March 14 camp told the daily that France, the Vatican, and Saudi Arabia are pressuring Lebanese powers to end the vacuum.

Local officials are likely to have agreed on a new presidential candidate, who is not affiliated with the March 8 or 14 camps, before the end of the year, they added.

They ruled out the possibility of Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji being this candidate.

They explained: “No new candidate can be elected president without the approval of Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun and at the moment Qahwaji does not enjoy high standing with the lawmaker.”

They did not give further details.

The sources predicted that the outcome of Iranian-French talks over the presidential elections will begin to emerge, comparing them to the efforts that were exerted ahead of the formation of Premier Tammam Salam's cabinet.

“Iran is has been embarrassed and the role of the government is no longer enough to protect the Sunni-Shiite status qou,” they added.

“It has become convinced that a Christian pacemaker is needed and it is therefore pressuring Hizullah to elect a president,” they explained.

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

Disputes between the March 8 and 14 camps over a compromise candidate has led to the vacuum.

M.T.


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