Mustaqbal: Aoun's Speech is Balanced, Calm and Encouraging
Al-Mustaqbal Movement described the oath of office taken by President Michel Aoun as 'balanced and encouraging', as they assured that the movement is content now that the vacuum at Lebanon's top post is over, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Tuesday.
“The speech was balanced, calm and encouraging. We have engaged in the settlement with a good will,” Mustaqbal sources told the daily on condition of anonymity.
On the attempts that some might try to obstruct the government formation, the sources said: “If anyone plans to hamper the formation of the government he would be hampering the era of President Aoun not Hariri's.”
“We are very pleased now that the vacuum has ended,” they concluded.
On Monday, Lebanon's parliamentarians elected founder of the Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun president of the republic after a longtime vacuum that has been plaguing Lebanon since May 2014 when the term of the president ended.
Binding parliamentary consultations for the designation of a new premier have been scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, hours after Michel Aoun was elected.
Earlier on Monday, Aoun signed a decree accepting the resignation of Prime Minister Tammam Salam's government and asking it to act in caretaker capacity until the formation of a new government.
Aoun's election ends a presidential void that lasted around two and a half years. The FPM founder was tipped to become president after his nomination was formally endorsed by al-Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri earlier this month.
Analysts have warned his election will not be a "magic wand" for Lebanon, which has seen longstanding political divisions exacerbated by the war in neighboring Syria and has struggled to deal with an influx of more than a million Syrian refugees.
The 81-year-old former army chief had long eyed the presidency, and his candidacy was backed from the beginning by Iran-backed Hizbullah, his ally since a surprise rapprochement in 2006.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/219491 |