Report: Suleiman's Term to Be Extended to Preserve Stability in Lebanon

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

The international community views President Michel Suleiman as a factor that contributes to Lebanon's stability and security given the critical regional situation, reported the Kuwaiti al-Anba daily on Sunday.

To that end, the international community will likely advocate that his term be extended in order to preserve this stability and avoid any political vacuum in Lebanon, said a source informed with the discussions that took place at the International Support Group meeting on Lebanon that was held on Wednesday.

“World powers are keen to avoid vacuum, which will either lead to the election of a new president or force Suleiman to stay in his post” until the situation in the region becomes clear, it explained.

The Lebanese powers will most likely fail to agree on a presidential candidate given the great differences between them and their commitments to foreign powers that determine their political choices in such affairs, added the source.

It noted how regional and international agendas determined the election of past presidents.

Late President Elias Hrawi was elected in order to implement the Taef Accord that ended the 1975-90 Lebanese civil war.

President Emile Lahoud was elected in order to assert Syria's control over Lebanon, continued the source, while Suleiman was elected in order to implement the 2008 Doha Accord.

Suleiman's six-year term ends on May 25.

Comments 18
Thumb ex-fpm 09 March 2014, 10:06

Well said

Thumb popeye 09 March 2014, 11:44

Southern, when you finish typing and posting, do you read what you write coz for sure what you write is nonsense! The army project failed you say? Which army project..... the one with the $3 billion donation from Saudia that has just been finalized by Qahwaji and we all read about it in local and international newspapers. The weapons will start delivery in 2 months ya Southern.

Missing peace 09 March 2014, 14:06

why do you care? don't you M8ers repeat and repeat that the president has no powers? then why are you so pissed off? LOL

Thumb .mowaten. 10 March 2014, 16:41

i thought he had vowed to refuse an extension of his term?

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/120485-suleiman-discloses-how-all-parties-agreed-on-baabda-declaration-vows-to-refuse-term-extension

"“My ambition at the end of this term of office is to deliver the departure speech and I have given the decision to start preparing it here at the Baabda Palace, in order to hand over the post to a normally elected president,” Suleiman added.

“If, God forbid, the elections do not take place, there will also be a departure speech,” the president announced."

i guess he's been such a good anti-HA voice lately, that m14 doesnt want to let him go.

Thumb .mowaten. 10 March 2014, 16:42

the above comment was reposted after being censored, i wonder why?

Missing peace 09 March 2014, 11:56

why are M8ers so desperate and afraid? they keep saying that the president has no powers! LOL so if he stays or goes what is the difference for them?

poor people and their twisted double standard idiotic logic....

Default-user-icon Hanoun (Guest) 09 March 2014, 11:59

long live democracy

Missing coolmec 09 March 2014, 13:53

mckinl
what's wrong with privatization?

Missing coolmec 09 March 2014, 13:59

Ya People
whether The President's term is extended or not what difference does it make? He has no power and the whole country is paralyzed as a result of the continued bickering between M8 and M14. This lack of unity is what is taking the country to the abyss, add to that our corrupt politicians and the end is result is a banana republic...

Missing coolmec 09 March 2014, 14:00

You guys need to quit being M8ers or M14res You need to be pro lebanon

Default-user-icon Mazen (Guest) 09 March 2014, 15:37

A failed people in a failed state.

Thumb -phoenix1 09 March 2014, 17:38

This is definitely the best news I've had for a long long time. I am one who says, yes, yes, and yes for Suleiman's term extension, minimum for 3 years. We must at cost preserve the elements of stability for Lebanon, and Suleiman is the main factor of stability. Despite everything that the opponents of peace for Lebanon have tried, Suleiman's very presence has defeated their evey single attempt. I bet everyone, once formalized, all the push and pull between M8 and M14 will end quickly. 3 more years of Suleiman mean that hope remains for every decent Lebanese citizen. Let Suleiman stay, let Lebanon stay.

Thumb -phoenix1 09 March 2014, 17:39

**We must at all cost preserve....***

Thumb general_puppet 09 March 2014, 17:43

The Queen of the Jungle is here… the man eater herself :-)

Default-user-icon mitch (Guest) 09 March 2014, 17:47

If this happens then Suleiman is obviously not a man of his words. He will have shamed the Lebanese and Lebanon. It would be disgraceful not to let the democratic process take control of events instead of personal or international ones. If only America, Qatar, Saudi Arabia & Iran would leave us alone we wouldn't be here today. I am ashamed to call myself Lebanese. Tfee 3ala lubnan was hayk rou2asa eza hal akhbar mazbout.

Missing marhaba 09 March 2014, 18:54

Ice-man, without bringing up Lebanese politics, privatisation hasn't always brought more competitiveness with lower prices. This is especially true for countries with little to no regulation.

I will quote the first article I found on this issue:
"The evidence suggests that [...] privatisation works best in developing countries when it is integrated into a broader process of structural reform."

Without major structural reforms (which no party in Lebanon is proposing), privatisation will concentrate the wealth in the hands of a few (Russia is a good, but more extreme example). The two go hand in hand. Even with regulation, some countries are finding that privatisation hasn't been successful in all the industries. For example, despite privatisation of the rail companies in the UK, the country has one of the poorest services in Europe and one of the highest prices per kilometer traveled.

Missing helicopter 09 March 2014, 23:04

Yes he will have a major fallout with HA and the end result will be a full blown war.......... Aoun has a proven record of being a brickk head. So Aoun's brick head and HA's brick head will spell "Good bye Lebanon"

Thumb .mowaten. 10 March 2014, 11:41

i thought he had vowed to refuse an extension of his term?

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/120485-suleiman-discloses-how-all-parties-agreed-on-baabda-declaration-vows-to-refuse-term-extension

"“My ambition at the end of this term of office is to deliver the departure speech and I have given the decision to start preparing it here at the Baabda Palace, in order to hand over the post to a normally elected president,” Suleiman added.

“If, God forbid, the elections do not take place, there will also be a departure speech,” the president announced."

i guess he's been such a good anti-HA voice lately, that m14 doesnt want to let him go.