Hobeish after Meeting Aoun: Contacts Ongoing over Deadlock

Efforts are continuing to solve the presidential deadlock and make the new political settlement that could see the nomination of Marada leader MP Suleiman Franjieh as president.

Al-Mustaqbal MP Hadi Hobeish met with Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun in Rabieh on Friday in what seems to be an attempt to convince him of the said settlement.

“We discussed various issues and dialogue with the MP is useful and contacts are ongoing,” said

Hobeish after meeting Aoun.

Aoun, a candidate of the March 8 camp, had received Franjieh on Wednesday where talks tackled the efforts to nominate the latter as president.

Sources close to the change and Reform described the meeting as “positive.”

Aoun informed Franjieh that he does not intend to withdraw from the presidential race as long as he still has a chance to reach the country's top post.

Media reports have spoken of tension between the two sides in the wake of Franjieh's potential nomination, which was initially sparked after a meeting between him and Mustaqbal Movement leader MP Saad Hariri a few weeks ago.

The nomination of Marada leader was rejected by the main Christian parties including the Kataeb party, Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, a candidate of the Mach 14 alliance.

D.A.

M.T.