Kerry Not Sure if Hariri's Support of Aoun Will Lead to New President

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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry expressed caution on Friday regarding the possibility of electing a new president in Lebanon in the near future, a day after ex-PM Saad Hariri formally endorsed Free Patriotic Movement founder MP Michel Aoun for the presidency.

In response to a reporter's question during Washington talks with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Khaled al-Sabah, Kerry hoped there will be progress in Lebanon but noted that he is not sure about the outcome of Hariri's move.

"This stalemate on the issue of the presidency is hurting Lebanon and hurts the region and we hope it will move forward," Kerry added.

Lebanese Forces bloc MP George Adwan later tweeted that Kerry's statements "prove that the presidential juncture is Lebanese par excellence," noting that "his skepticism increases Aoun's chances."

In a speech on Thursday, Hariri described his decision to endorse Aoun as a “major political risk” that he is willing to take for the sake of the country.

Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014 and Hizbullah, Aoun's Change and Reform bloc and some of their allies have been boycotting the parliament's electoral sessions, stripping them of the needed quorum.

Hariri had launched an initiative in late 2015 to nominate Hizbullah's ally MP Suleiman Franjieh for the presidency but his proposal was met with reservations from the country's main Christian parties as well as Hizbullah.

The supporters of Aoun's presidential bid have argued that he is more eligible than Franjieh to become president due to the size of his parliamentary bloc and his bigger influence in the Christian community.

Comments 10
Thumb galaxy 21 October 2016, 18:55

Kerry is not your average guy making an irrelevant statement. He knows that Iran is holding the key to the elections hence his statement.

Thumb Southern...... 21 October 2016, 19:08

there's something fishy here!

a plot between Fouad Siniora and the American embassy to gather more MP's to boycott the voting, i wonder!

Siniora is a known traitor and can't be trusted, 2006 can't be forgotten!

but, i hope that Kerry and his CIA won't achieve their objective.

Thumb enterprise 21 October 2016, 19:19

Saniora said he will attend and vote a "white" paper. The only plot is in your primitive shia uneducated mind.

Thumb Southern...... 21 October 2016, 20:25

@enterprise
a sect never can be primitive but individuals and a mind neither can be uneducated but a persons...besides if Siniora is going to vote a "white" paper, i never said not. due to the mess you have made, my conclusion and to be soft with you, is: you're primitive by nature and wrongly educated, which means you have no cure.

Thumb Southern...... 21 October 2016, 21:10

boycott the voting it doesn't mean to boycott the session, thus they attend but they would do something different than voting for the nominated, you see how idiot you are, primitive.

Thumb Southern...... 21 October 2016, 22:19

stop! your Saudi primitive mind doesn't cop with that, now back to sleep after taking your camel milk.

Thumb Southern...... 21 October 2016, 22:29

an extract of the meaning of boycott:

"...................supporters of the boycott may be able to cast blank votes or vote for "none of the above"

Thumb ice-man 22 October 2016, 07:26

@Southern MF ( My Friend ), long time no see!

Do you want me to send you more hygiene products from California that might otherwise not be available in Dahyeh like toothpaste, deodorant and tooth floss? I can fedex them for you my friend.

Thumb Southern...... 22 October 2016, 15:15

btw, his other half is Saudi.

Thumb enterprise 21 October 2016, 20:29

do you always post as a couple? how cute