Naharnet

Berri after Meeting Aoun: Disagreement Does Not Spoil Friendship

Speaker Nabih Berri announced Thursday after talks with Free Patriotic Movement founder MP Michel Aoun that “disagreement” over the latter's presidential nomination will not lead to animosity between the two leaders.

“We heard each other's points of view and disagreement does not spoil friendship,” Berri said in a statement after the meeting.

Aoun for his part said it is his “duty” to put the speaker in the picture of the developments regarding the presidential election.

“We exchanged viewpoints regarding the current situations and made some clarifications because we are living in an atmosphere of absurd rumors,” he said.

In response to a question, he added: “We are certainly seeking Speaker Berri's support in the presidential race but we respect his freedom in taking the decision he wants.”

Aoun visited Berri after a meeting at the Center House with al-Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri.

Hariri had formally announced his endorsement of Aoun for the presidency earlier in the evening after his previous support for the presidential nomination of Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman was met with reservations from the country's main Christian parties as well as Hizbullah.

Berri has openly announced that he will not vote for Aoun in any presidential election session and some officials of his AMAL Movement have accused Aoun and Hariri of seeking a bilateral agreement that would marginalize Shiites in power, allegations that Aoun and his movement have denied.

Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014 and Hizbullah, Aoun's Change and Reform bloc and some of their allies have been boycotting the parliament's electoral sessions, stripping them of the needed quorum.

The supporters of Aoun's presidential bid have argued that he is more eligible than Franjieh to become president due to the size of his parliamentary bloc and his bigger influence in the Christian community.


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