Report: Major Powers Locked in Struggle for Presidential Polls Influence

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

The major powers are locked in a race for influence in Lebanon's presidential elections as Michel Suleiman's six-year term nears its end, As Safir newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The daily said that the United States is backing elections to choose a new president and has sent an envoy who has a specific mission to follow up the polls.

But the report said that France, which is also expected to send envoys to Beirut, believes the current situation in Lebanon and the region is not encouraging, and that elections could not be held given the difficulty to reach an understanding between the Western countries and regional and local parties on a single candidate.

Paris prefers Suleiman's term, which expires in May, be extended, according to As Safir.

Its stance is also backed by Saudi Arabia, the daily said.

It quoted however a U.S. diplomat as saying that Washington prefers the election of a new president even if he was a personality not allied with it.

Among the names making the rounds are Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun and Marada movement chief Suleiman Franjieh, who are both members of the Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance.

Other names include the March 14 camp's Phalange party chief and ex-President Amin Gemayel, and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea.

The presidential elections could be a topic of discussion between U.S. President Barack Obama and Saudi King Abdullah in Riyadh over the weekend, As Safir said.

Comments 26
Thumb popeye 11 March 2014, 08:19

The American administration are backing Aoun for the Presidency and recommending the Syrian rebels sit down with the terror party and negotiate Syria's future. Absolute zero credibility..

Missing hammouds 11 March 2014, 08:35

How is it that you came to this conclusion? That the Americans back Aoun for presidency...

Missing hammouds 11 March 2014, 08:43

And also, at the end of the day, it would take one command from DC to Riyadh to initiate such a sit down between rebels and the "terror party". It is that simple, so if it were true, it would have happened or it would happen as soon as they desire it to happen. Basically, the US, through Riyadh, controls these rebel parties in Syria.

Thumb ex-fpm 11 March 2014, 08:54

Ambassador Ford mentioned just the other day the rebels should negotiate with HA. What popeye is saying has merit.

Thumb ex-fpm 11 March 2014, 09:39

Thanks for deleting my post! I would like to know what was wrong with it?! Here it is again:

Ambassador Ford a few days ago called on the Syrian rebels to negotiate with HA. Popeye's comments have merit.

Thumb EagleDawn 11 March 2014, 10:52

Why don't the americans instead of giving advise negotiate themselves with the Colombian Drug Cartel...

Default-user-icon infinity (Guest) 11 March 2014, 13:32

There's simply no way the opposition can win, and no way military force can avoid bringing islamist terrorists/qaida/nusra/isis/IF/etc to power. Dialog always brings more fruition and stability than military strategy in the long run, and with obama now favoring stability and democracy than kingships and dictatorships, is using his post as the president of the usa to do something productive instead of bombing the place to smithereens. You should be happy if you live in lebanon for this.

Thumb Kalzyturks 11 March 2014, 08:27

I'm missing .-flamethrower-.

Lol

Thumb ice-man 11 March 2014, 08:35

Allah yir7amoh, was a good guy and an eloquent free thinker.

Thumb cedre 11 March 2014, 09:59

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Missing cedars 11 March 2014, 13:15

He was part of the nuns and 150 families in Mazzi release convoy, will return shortly telling you that the kid and ladies in the picture were takfiris foreign fighters from qatar and also the nun was thanking al Nusra because they were under the Kalashnikov, he will also tell you that Assad should be the one to thank and not Gen Abbas or qatar

Thumb skeletor 11 March 2014, 10:14

He is safe and sound under my care.

Default-user-icon Hanoun (Guest) 11 March 2014, 10:04

democracy and arab spring in the gulf region now

Thumb cedre 11 March 2014, 10:23

lets start in iran...

Missing -karim- 11 March 2014, 10:22

If France and Saudi Arabia want to keep Suleiman, then that can't be good for Lebanon.

Lebanon needs a pro-Lebanese - not a pro-Saudi - president.

Default-user-icon Other sided coin. (Guest) 11 March 2014, 13:14

If Iran & Syria don't want to keep Suleiman, then that can't be good for Lebanon.

Lebanon still needs a pro-Lebanese-not a pro-Irani-president.

Thumb -phoenix1 11 March 2014, 17:35

Karim brother, we had two presidents in the name of Elias Hrawi and Emile Lahoud, the self-styled swimming champ. I am sure that it will not be unfair to refer to them both as Syrian puppets and stooges.

Default-user-icon Hanoun (Guest) 11 March 2014, 11:24

I think I mentionned Arab spring ..
but anyway ur right fox
arab spring and democracy on planet earth

Default-user-icon infinity (Guest) 11 March 2014, 13:24

This article made me queezy, why can't the lebanese make their own decisions instead of having 'powers' decide the fate of our country and 4million citizens?! Sickening.

Default-user-icon infinity (Guest) 11 March 2014, 13:25

Have you met anonymetexasusa? You'd make a great couple.

Thumb popeye 11 March 2014, 13:55

why are you posting as a guest? Afraid to reveal your true identity...

Default-user-icon infinity (Guest) 11 March 2014, 14:18

Shove it popeye, I've had two accounts banned already. At least posting as guest won't get your post deleted so it's better this way.

Thumb -phoenix1 11 March 2014, 17:37

But Popeye and Jerry, aren't we all appearing under aliases? Come now ya man.

Default-user-icon infinity (Guest) 11 March 2014, 13:36

No, just no.

Only NEW people can rescue lebanonz havn't the typical monsters you've had to deal with for 40 or so years done enough damage? I swear the cult and culture of self-flagellation is so entrenched in the lebanese that they are oblivious to it much to their own demise.

Default-user-icon infiniyy (Guest) 11 March 2014, 14:16

If it's those same powers saying they will decide the country's fate anyway, what's the point of calling people traitors? They're not even hiding it anymore.

Really though, YOU are the traitors for accepting this.

Thumb -phoenix1 11 March 2014, 16:56

So far, I know one thing, old man Aoun will never see the presidency, and Hezbollah will be deprived of its most reliable ready-made-rubber-stamp. It is now getting more and more probable that President Suleiman will see his term extended. In the light of a complete breakup of our system, it will be very wise indeed to keep the one decent man to head this nation, for without him, the nation will be like a ship sailing blind in the dead of night.