Suleiman Hopes Successor Would Follow up on his Achievements

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

President Michel Suleiman has promised to follow up on the achievements that he has made during his tenure, including the implementation of the Baabda Declaration, hoping for similar moves by the country's new head of state.

In remarks to An Nahar daily published on Thursday, two days before a ceremony he will hold on the occasion of leaving office, Suleiman regretted that he might not hand over power to the person who will take office after him.

The differences between the March 8 and 14 alliances have prevented the election of the new president over the insistence of the Hizbullah-led team to reach a prior agreement on a consensual candidate.

The majority of the March 8 camp's MPs have been boycotting the parliamentary sessions aimed at electing a president. A similar scenario will take place on the fifth round of the polls on Thursday.

Suleiman told An Nahar that he wanted his successor “to finish what I started,” saying that he would also follow-up the achievements he had made.

He was referring to his defense strategy proposal and the Baabda Declaration, which was announced in 2012 after the March 8 and 14 camps agreed during a national dialogue session to distance Lebanon from the region's crisis.

Suleiman also made reference to the International Support Group for Lebanon and the 3-billion-dollar Saudi grant to the Lebanese army that was announced in December.

The support group, which was inaugurated in New York in September 2013, undertook to work together to mobilize support for the sovereignty and state institutions of Lebanon and to highlight and promote efforts to assist the country.

In his remarks to An Nahar, Suleiman said Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi had backed a proposal to extend his term because he was keen to avoid vacuum in the country's top Christian post.

He also stressed that the “voluntary practice of democracy” had harmed him during his tenure.

“They changed the concept of elections when they said that paralysis is a democratic right,” Suleiman said about the March 8 alliance without naming it.

Suleiman has prepared a speech that he would make during the ceremony on Saturday, a day before he leaves Baabda Palace after the expiry of his six-year term.

Local dailies said the outgoing president intends to stress the political, security and administrative achievements made during his tenure and to express regret that he would not be able to hand over power to his successor.

The ceremony will be attended by politicians and diplomats, including the speaker, the prime minister, cabinet ministers, current and former MPs, in addition to businessman, civil society members and top journalists.

G.K.

H.K.

Comments 15
Missing karim_ 22 May 2014, 08:30

What achievements? Your subservience to the kingdom of terrorism?

Achievements al. LOL.

Thumb popeye 22 May 2014, 08:40

One of his achievements was his calling things as they are regarding the terror party albeit being 5 years too late.

Default-user-icon vbcueyrg whwr (Guest) 22 May 2014, 10:00

And when did he wake up? Reminds me of those who woke up to oppose the Syrians after the Syrians were long gone. COWARDS AND LOW-LIVES, not to mention LOUD MOUTHS. Go have some spinach, your only hope, I guess.

Default-user-icon Folltando Jibakouz (Guest) 22 May 2014, 08:32

gabbaguybo, please focus on predicting until you get past your 80s, God willing. Perhaps then you will one day learn something, unlike Dr. Arreet 7akeh yalleh la t3allam wala bi 3omro ra7 yet3allam cause he's areta jadbeh wa mesheh

Thumb cedre 22 May 2014, 08:57

they want to control Gulf and Levant...

Default-user-icon Hanoun (Guest) 22 May 2014, 10:04

popular vote for presidency is the solution it keeps away outside interferences
as for president Suleiman wikileaks said it all

Thumb general_puppet 22 May 2014, 10:25

The problem with Iran is that it does not know how to read a map, it thinks Lebanon is it's souther border.

Missing peace 22 May 2014, 11:21

lol... so simplistic as usual... no wonder from an empty brain you cannot come up with any better... pathetic idiot

Missing peace 22 May 2014, 18:12

nothing to add to your BS poor thing... you think you are worth discussing with? you have a high opinion of yourself... but don't worry every sicko from a psychiatric ward believes the same...

you only deserve contempt and insults.... the language you understand for using it in every of your posts...

Default-user-icon Hanoun (Guest) 22 May 2014, 12:05

Mr president best regards from mr Elie Murr

Thumb -phoenix1 22 May 2014, 12:25

FT, I am here in total disagreements with you. Declarations that enslaved an entire nation by previous kneelers can only be healed by breaking them altogether, just like that lame protocol that gave Syria rights over our Aassi river. Then Suleiman did not beg, no brother, he did NOT beg, he is a respected leader who commands respect, unlike Aoun who so far still cannot shake the suspicions hovering over his head. I am taking this opportunity like no other before it, to dig as deep as anyone of you wants, to find one single shred of evidence to pin one single blame of corruption on Suleiman. The only thing you guys at M8 have on him, is his steadfastness in standing up to the ruthless bulldozer known as Hezbollah, Suleiman does not accept red lines, any red lines, and that's all you people have on him, and so much the better.

Missing moonsear 22 May 2014, 12:48

Does his achievements include his government not being able to issue a single budget in 6 years which is part of his constitutional responsibilities?

Thumb -phoenix1 22 May 2014, 12:53

And is he the lone decider in this country ya Moonsear?

Missing moonsear 22 May 2014, 14:35

He is the guardian of the constitution, and the day he cannot guard it anymore he should resign instead of heading the caricature of a state

Missing moonsear 22 May 2014, 14:37

and my main problem is with so called achievements when the country sees the worst social crisis in years, public servants and teachers striking, owners and renters on the streets etc.