Report: Geagea Wants Good Ties with Army Leadership, He Tells FPM
Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea emphasized that he is keen on maintaining good relations with the army leadership and asked the Free Patriotic Movement not to “embarrass” him with threats to resort to the street if the term of the Army Commander was extended, al-Akhbar daily reported on Friday.
The daily said that Geagea had told FPM officials that he is keen not to “strain relations with the Army Command for a demand that will not be achieved which is embodied in the appointment of a successor to Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji.”
According to the daily, the LF chief had asked the secretary of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc Ibrahim Kanaan during the latter's visit to Maarab “not to embarrass him in two things: resorting to street protests and demanding the appointment of a successor to Qahwaji.”
Ministers of the Free Patriotic Movement and the Tashnaq Party boycotted Thursday's cabinet meeting in protest at the government's handling of the thorny issue of military appointments.
FPM chief and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil had warned that the FPM would resort to “the judiciary and street protests” if the cabinet passes decrees in the absence of the movement's ministers.
Last week, Defense Minister Samir Moqbel postponed the retirement of Higher Defense Council chief Maj. Gen. Mohammed Kheir after no consensus was reached over three candidates that he had proposed, angering the FPM which says that it opposes term extensions for all senior officers.
The movement fears that the extension of Kheir's term could pave the way for a new extension of the tenure of Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji next month.
Qahwaji's retirement had been postponed in September 2013 and his term was instead extended for two years.
Geagea had endorsed founder of the FPM Michel Aoun for the post of presidency.
Source: Naharnet
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