Hariri Says Won't 'Secure Votes' for Aoun, Optimistic on Election of President on March 23
Al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri stressed Thursday that he will not seek to “secure votes” for the election of Free Patriotic Movement founder MP Michel Aoun as president, as he expressed optimism on the election of a president in the next two sessions.
“Let no one ask me to secure votes for the election of Michel Aoun as president, despite my appreciation of him, and if he can secure the votes I will head to parliament tomorrow,” said Hariri in an interview with LBCI television.
“Despite the reconciliation between Aoun and (Lebanese Forces leader Samir) Geagea , I'm committed to (Marada Movement chief MP) Suleiman Franjieh's nomination. Should Aoun secure enough votes, I will go to parliament and congratulate him,” Hariri said.
“I spoke with General Aoun but he was not accepted by my allies. I then discussed Franjieh's nomination with them and they did not show much opposition. My concern is putting an end to vacuum, because it is a disaster for Lebanon,” the ex-PM added.
Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014 and the FPM, Hizbullah and some of their allies have been boycotting the electoral sessions.
Hariri launched late in 2015 a proposal to nominate Franjieh for the presidency but his suggestion was rejected by the country's main Christian parties as well as Hizbullah.
The Hizbullah-led March 8 camp, as well as March 14's Lebanese Forces, have argued that Aoun is more eligible than Franjieh to become president given the size of his parliamentary bloc and his bigger influence in the Christian community.
“I have made a presidential initiative due to the ongoing crises at level of decision-making in all state institutions,” Hariri told LBCI.
He warned that vacuum in Lebanon “led to the May 7 (2008) clashes” and “vacuum only leads to problems and difficulties.”
Hariri noted that his nomination of Franjieh “aims to extend the hand to the other camp.”
“With all due respect to (Hizbullah chief) Sayyed (Hassan) Nasrallah, we have our presence in this country and we have nominated a figure who belongs to his camp but we cannot execute Hizbullah's instructions,” the former premier added.
“We must not lose hope in the presidential issue and today there are real candidates whom we can elect,” Hariri went on to say, noting that he is “reassured that a president will be elected in the next session or in the session that would follow.”
The ex-PM also revealed that he told FPM chief Jebran Bassil during their meeting last week that he is “committed to Franjieh's nomination.”
Turning to the tensions between Hizbullah and Saudi Arabia, Hariri underlined that “it is a terrorist act when Hizbullah goes to Yemen, Bahrain, the UAE and Saudi Arabia and when it jeopardizes Saudi security and Gulf security.”
“When Hizbullah fights to defend Lebanon it is an act of resistance, but what is it doing in Syria, Iraq and Yemen? Where is the interest of the Lebanese in all of what's happening?” he wondered.
“I tell Sayyed Nasrallah that I have returned to Lebanon and I call on him to return to Lebanon as well. He must take Lebanon's interests into consideration before the interest of any other country. Lebanon needs a president and stability,” Hariri went on to say.
“We support Hizbullah when it fights Israeli occupation but we are against any military act outside Lebanon,” he emphasized.
Y.R.
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