Naharnet

Geagea Urges Lebanese to Back Suleiman to Salvage Lebanon

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea called on the Lebanese to express support to President Michel Suleiman to salvage the state, stressing that the March 14 alliance has no other option but to back Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam in order to reach a neutral cabinet.

“Suleiman is the only remaining symbol for legitimacy,” Geagea said in comments published in al-Akhbar newspaper on Wednesday.

He pointed out that Suleiman and Salam “has an intention to form the a new cabinet.”

The LF leader noted that the cabinet formation process will reach an end when the parliamentary blocs agree on a “neutral cabinet with rotating portfolios and without a veto power to anyone.”

“Communication with Salam is ongoing and he is holding onto his stance and conviction that the cabinet should be divided equally between the March 14 alliance, the March 8 coalition and the centrists.”

“He (Salam) has no intention to resign,” Geagea added.

The Christian leader stressed that the situation in the region had an impact on Lebanon, especially, that Hizbullah is involved in the turmoil in the region.”

The Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance wants an all-embracing cabinet while the March 14 coalition is pushing Salam to keep Hizbullah away from the line-up over its participation in the war in Syria alongside troops loyal to President Bashar Assad.

Salam is seeking to form a cabinet divided equally between the Lebanese foes and the centrists and rejects to grant the veto power to any party.


Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/93433