Kataeb: President Must Neutralize Lebanon from Syrian Crisis, Extend State Authority

The Kataeb Party stressed Monday that the country's new president must "neutralize" Lebanon from the crisis in neighboring Syria and extend state authority across all Lebanese regions.

“The new president's characteristics must reflect keenness on neutralizing Lebanon from the regional and global conflicts, especially the Syrian crisis,” said the party in a statement issued after the weekly meeting of its political bureau.

The president must also “stand at an equal distance from all political components and must seek to extend state authority across all Lebanese regions,” it added.

Kataeb also noted that it will maintain the consultations it has started with all parties in a bid to “turn the page on the presidential vacuum.”

Turning to the issue of the electoral law, the party emphasized that it must ensure “proper representation,” stressing its rejection of the current law that dates back to the year 1960.

Earlier in the day, Labor Minister Sejaan Qazzi announced that former president Amin Gemayel is still the presidential candidate of Kataeb, noting that negotiations with other political parties must start from this point.

The statements come amid a flurry of political talks in the country between parties from both the March 14 and March 8 camps.

The new momentum followed a meeting that was held in Paris between Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh of the March 8 camp and al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri of the March 14 coalition.

Hariri has also met in Paris with Progressive Socialist Party chief MP Walid Jumblat and Kataeb Party leader MP Sami Gemayel.

The Franjieh-Hariri meeting has sparked intense speculation that they agreed to the nomination of the Marada chief as president.

Y.R.