Gemayel Refuses to Set Conditions on Suleiman
Phalange party leader Amin Gemayel refused Friday to set conditions on President Michel Suleiman, assuring that he will attend the upcoming all-party talks called for by the President out of respect for the presidency, the As Safir daily said.
Gemayel, of the March 14 alliance, said “I refuse to set conditions on President of the Republic. Even though the dialogue committee was mainly formed to tackle the issue of Hizbullah's arms but we were also addressing other issues out of national responsibility.”
The Phalange leader pointed out earlier that he can't reject any initiative taken by the president to resolve the lingering political crisis, in reference to the next dialogue session on January 7 called for by Suleiman.
In reference to the decision of the opposition to boycott all parliamentary and cabinet activities, Gemayel said “We have agreed in March 14 to boycott the government but we have not taken a decision of constitutional disobedience.
“We adhere to our agreement that is why we encouraged the Phalange party to reactivate the parliamentary electoral subcommittee,” pointing that boycotting parliamentary legislation only obstructs democracy.
He stressed the necessity to hold parliamentary elections on time based on fair laws that guarantees well representation for all “especially for Christians.”
Lebanon plunged in a political crisis in October after the opposition blamed the government for the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Branch chief Wissam al-Hasan.
The March 14 opposition has boycotted all government and parliamentary activity linked to the elections, however, it made concessions by announcing earlier this month that it would end its boycott of the parliamentary subcommittee to discuss an electoral law ahead of the 2013 polls.
The opposition demands the resignation of the government as a condition to ending its boycott and the formation of a national salvation cabinet.
Suleiman said in remarks published Friday that he is exerting all efforts to convince the political foes to attend the dialogue session.
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