Report: Bassil Visits Gemayel to Discuss Extension of Security Officials' Term

Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil held talks on Friday with head of the Kataeb Party Amin Gemayel to tackle the extension of the term of security officials, most notably the appointment of Commando Regiment chief Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz as army commander, reported al-Liwaa newspaper on Saturday.

Gemayel had asked Bassil if head of the Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun was still seeking to run for the presidency, to which the minister replied yes.

The Kataeb chief responded: “We prefer that the president and army commander share the same political affiliations, not the same family.”

Roukoz is Aoun's son-in-law and his main objective is to receive political consensus on his appointment as army chief as part of a package for the appointment of other top security officers, media reports had said earlier this week.

Aoun has denied the claims.

Gemayel then reportedly informed Bassil that if Aoun withdraws from the presidential race, then the Kataeb may agree to the appointment of Roukoz.

Bassil had sought Gemayel's support for the appointment of Roukoz in return for appointing Imad Othman as head of the Internal Security Forces, said al-Liwaa.

Roukoz's tenure ends in October 2015 while the term of army commander General Jean Qahwaji expires at the end of September.

M.T.