Fatfat: No Presidential Vows Were Made to Aoun

Mustaqbal MP Ahmed Fatfat stressed that no promises were made to MP Michel Aoun to support him in the presidential race and that head of the Movement, ex-PM Saad Hariri did not ask his candidate Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh to withdraw from the race, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.

“The statement of the Mustaqbal bloc did not mention in a phrase that it continues to support Franjieh simply because there is no new decision in that regard,” Fatfat told the daily.

“Last time we renewed our candidacy for Franjieh under the pressure and the rumors that circulated then, and we therefore sensed the need to clarify things. Nothing new happened today, and if it did we would have announced it,” he added referring to claims that Hariri has asked Franjieh to withdraw his nomination for the presidency and that he will support Aoun instead.

“No vows were made that we will support Aoun. Hariri has explained the situation to Franjieh,” added the MP.

“Our concern is to cooperate to reach a solution for the presidential dilemma,” he remarked denying that Franjieh was asked to withdraw his candidacy.

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc announced after its meeting on Tuesday that Hariri has launched “consultations with all political parties” in a bid to “speed up the election of a president,” while reiterating that Hizbullah is to blame for the protracted presidential void crisis.

The bloc's statement did not mention a phrase that says “the initiative to support Franjieh for the presidency still stands,” which triggered speculations and rumors.