FPM Leadership 'Pleased' with Nasrallah's Speech
Prominent sources in the Free Patriotic Movement expressed “delight” with the speech delivered by Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Sunday where he reiterated support for the election of the FPM's founder MP Michel Aoun for the post of president, al-Akhbar daily reported on Monday.
“Nasrallah's talk is a big slap in the face for all those who doubted his support for Aoun, and anyone who tried to trigger a dispute between us and Hizbullah,” the FPM sources told the daily.
“The Lebanese have to understand, including our own supporters, that we all have to stop doubting each other. In this country there are people who still commit to their vows. Integrity and honesty are what made us reach where we are today,” added the sources.
Nasrallah said on Sunday: “Our commitment to General Michel Aoun's nomination is final. The Loyalty to Resistance bloc will attend the session and all the members will vote for General Aoun.”
As for the efforts exerted by Hizbullah with regard to talks with Speaker Nabih Berri (who said that he will vote against Aoun), the FPM sources praised Nasrallah when he assured that “no one is trying to strike bilateral or sectarian agreements.” They stressed that the FPM supports Nasrallah's calls to address the concerns of some in that regard.
Nasrallah emphasized in his speech “no one in Lebanon is thinking of establishing a bilateral form of power-sharing on a political, sectarian or two-party level.” He was referring to the AMAL's concerns regarding the FPM-Mustaqbal agreements that preceded Hariri's endorsement of Aoun.
Berri's aides have accused Aoun and Hariri of striking a “bilateral” agreement that would marginalize Shiites in power, allegations that Aoun and his movement have denied.
Aoun was tipped to become president after Hariri formally endorsed his nomination on Thursday.
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.
Hariri had launched an initiative in late 2015 to nominate Hizbullah's ally and Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh for the presidency but his proposal was met with reservations from the country's main Christian parties as well as Hizbullah.
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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