FPM Denies Proposing Settlement Involving Extension of Qahwaji's Term

The Free Patriotic Movement denied Thursday that it has proposed a settlement involving a new extension of Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji's term.

“The FPM denies what some ministers said after today's cabinet session about a settlement under which the FPM's two ministers would demand the annulment of the extension of Higher Defense Council chief Maj. Gen. Mohammed Kheir's term in return for accepting the extension of Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji's term,” the FPM said in a statement.

It stressed that its stance on rejecting term extensions is “principled” and not related to “individuals or events.”

“It aims to achieve real partnership that respects the National Pact in order to rectify the flaws and regularize the work of institutions,” the movement said.

“Those who are keen on the government's productivity must facilitate the approval of the several stalled files that have to do with people's affairs, electricity, water, oil, telecommunications, transportation and other issues, which are being obstructed due to favoring partisan interests over the people's interests,” the FPM added.

Youth and Sport Minister Abdul Mutalleb Hennawi, who is close to ex-president Michel Suleiman, had said after the cabinet session that “they have put the precondition of revoking Maj. Gen. Mohammed Kheir's term extension in return for accepting extension for General Jean Qahwaji.”

Health Minister Wael Abou Faour for his part said that “the FPM's proposal” had been “relayed yesterday” to Prime Minister Tammam Salam.

“He rejected it out of respect for voting in the Cabinet,” Abou Faour added.

The FPM's latest boycott of cabinet meetings was initially linked to the thorny issue of military and security appointments. The movement has long voiced reservations over the government's decision-taking mechanism in the absence of a president.

The defense minister had recently postponed the retirement of Kheir after no consensus was reached over three candidates that he had proposed, angering the FPM which says that it opposes term extensions for all senior officers.

Addressing Salam on Friday, FPM chief Jebran Bassil said “the son of late PM Saeb Salam must pay great attention when he says that the government is respecting the National Pact when it convenes in the presence of ministers representing only six percent of a main component of the country (Christians).”

Bassil has also warned that the country might be soon plunged into a “political system crisis” if the other parties do not heed the FPM's demands regarding Muslim-Christian “partnership.”

Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh hit back at Bassil on Monday, saying Marada and the other Christian parties in the cabinet “represent a lot more than six percent.”