Report: Al-Rahi Says Syrian Officials 'Have Reservations' over Franjieh's Nomination
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi returned to Lebanon from a pastoral visit to Syria on Monday, where he also discussed the presidential elections, reported al-Joumhouria on Tuesday.
It said that Syrian officials expressed to the patriarch their “reservations” over the potential nomination of Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh as president.
Al-Rahi was “surprised” by this stance, added al-Joumhouria.
It explained that Syria's position “came after it had informed a number if its allies in Lebanon that the presidential file is in the hands of Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.”
“This will further complicate the election of Franjieh as the party is still committed to the nomination of its ally Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun,” noted al-Joumhouria.
Al-Rahi had met in recent days with Franjieh, Kataeb Party leader MP Sami Gemayel and Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil -- Aoun's son-in-law.
Franjieh's chances to reach the Baabda Palace had recently made a dramatic surge in the wake of a Paris meeting between him and Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri.
M.T.
D.A.
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