Naharnet

FPM Mobilizes for Baabda Demonstration as Aoun Holds onto Partnership

The Free Patriotic Movement began mobilizing its supporters for a mass demonstration that it has called for on Sunday after the collapse of a deal on the promotion of military officers.

FPM chief Jebran Bassil had called for a mass rally outside the presidential palace in Baabda on October 11.

Change and Reform MP Simon Abi Ramia said in remarks published on Thursday that the bloc's leader lawmaker Michel Aoun will not be marginalized.

“We have paid a very high price but we will not allow this political and military isolation to be repeated,” he said.

MP Ibrahim Kanaan expressed a similar viewpoint, saying the FPM will not be subdued by attempts to isolate it.

A deal on the promotion of several officers, including Aoun's son-in-law Chamel Roukoz, has collapsed, prompting the Change and Reform leader to consider that his foes “don't want to admit that he represents a large faction of Lebanese.”

FPM sources told An Nahar daily that the other camp does not want to achieve real partnership.

“They don't have the will to rectify the problems in the political system and the constitutional institutions,” they said.

But despite the failure to reach a settlement on the promotions, the sources said that Aoun “wants to achieve real partnership whether on the presidential crisis, the electoral law or the appointments in leadership posts.”

The sources stressed that the postponement of Thursday's national dialogue session to October 26 is not as a result of Aoun's stances.

Aoun was represented by Kanaan in the sessions that were held on Tuesday and Wednesday.

G.K.

D.A.

Source: Naharnet


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