Maronite Mediation Between Suleiman and Aoun Yielded No Results Yet

A three-member Maronite delegation has so far failed to bridge the differences between President Michel Suleiman and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun on the right candidate for the post of the Higher Judicial Council president, sources told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Thursday.

The Maronite sources said that former Ministers Michel Edde and Wadih Khazen and the head of the Maronite League Joseph Tarabay were only able so far to set a meeting between Suleiman and Aoun who held talks at Baabda palace on Saturday.

Suleiman is holding onto his stance on appointing Judge Alice Shabtini as head of the HJC while Aoun is nominating Tannous Meshleb, the sources said, stressing that the president has the right to have the final say in the appointment.

Efforts are underway to convince Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi, who is loyal to Aoun, to withdraw his recommendation on appointing Meshleb for the post, and urge him to include the names of three candidates in the list so that the cabinet could choose one in accordance with the mechanism adopted for the appointment of civil servants.

Shabtini has come under fire from Hizbullah lately for releasing, with the approval of the remaining judges at the Military Appeals Tribunal, four Lebanese convicted of collaborating with Israel.

The judge is receiving the backing of Bkirki, the Maronite sources told al-Hayat.

They warned that Aoun would score a victory on Suleiman if Meshleb was appointed.

The sources also ruled out putting the appointment of the head of the HJC on the agenda of the cabinet soon because the differences between Suleiman and Aoun haven’t been solved yet unless the two officials agree on the name of a third candidate.

Among the names of judges being discussed as possible candidates are Shukri Sader, Jean Fahd and Antoine Daher.