Gemayel Urges Officials to Agree on Electoral Law, Rejects Attempt to Postpone Polls

Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel voiced hope on Wednesday that the rival parties would reach consensus over the new electoral law, rejecting attempts to thwart the upcoming 2013 parliamentary elections.

He revealed after talks with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi at Bkirki that the March 14 opposition leaders held a meeting on Tuesday night to discuss a proposal by Speaker Nabih Berri to resume the meetings of an electoral subcommittee tasked with studying electoral draft-laws.

Earlier, As Safir newspaper reported on Wednesday that Berri has suggested that March 14 lawmakers, many of whom have received death threats, reside at a hotel near parliament to attend the meetings of the subcommittee after they said they were fearing for their lives.

“We should block any attempts aimed at obstructing the upcoming 2013 parliamentary elections or postponing them,” Gemayel told reporters in Bkirki.

He pointed out that the opposition is exerting efforts to ensure that the elections are held on time.

“We aim at activating the public institutions to achieve the necessary stability” in the country, the official added.

Opposition MPs have carried out several meetings with the speaker to discuss ways to resume talks on the electoral law, ending its boycott of the subcommittee but the dispute remains over the venue of the meetings.

Lebanon plunged in a political crisis following the Oct. 19 assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau chief Wissam al-Hasan when March 14 boycotted the government and all parliamentary activity linked to it.

It also called for the cabinet's resignation and said only a salvation government could oversee the 2013 parliamentary polls.

Concerning the turmoil in Syria, Gemayel said that he “sympathizes” with all the popular uprisings that are demanding democracy and freedom.

“It's time to carry out a change in Syria from within,” the Phalange leader said.

He stressed that Lebanon should hold on to disassociating itself from the developments in the neighboring country.

The international community and analysts have continuously expressed fears that the conflict in Syria may spill over into Lebanon.