Geagea Says 'No Hope' in Coming Govt., Denies LF Arming Itself

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Monday said it seems no hopes can be pinned on the new government in light of the way it is being formed.

In an interview with Radio Free Lebanon, Geagea said the LF will only grant its vote of confidence to “a government of real independents formed of competent and specialist ministers who know exactly how to work.”

“But it seems that there is no hope in this (new) government, because its formation has started by promising the Shiite duo and the Progressive Socialist Party that they would be granted certain portfolios,” Geagea added.

He warned that what happened with the Shiite duo will eventually “apply to the Free Patriotic Movement and others.”

“So how will this government be? At best, it will be similar to (caretaker) PM Hassan Diab’s government, so what would be the result? Nothing but further waste of time,” Geagea said.

Separately, Geagea dismissed “all allegations that the LF party is taking up arms.”

“Lies, lies, lies,” the LF leader said of the claims, noting that some “attack” the LF that way because they cannot accuse it of “corruption.”

“Can a party arm itself secretly? They are not speaking of 200 gunmen but rather of 15,000. Where can you hide them?” Geagea added sarcastically.

“Those who have any information, let them put them on the table, and we will file a lawsuit against anyone speaking this way without providing evidence, because this is a blatantly false accusation,” the LF leader went on to say.