March 14 Officials Agree on United Stance over General Assembly Agenda
March 14 alliance leaders have agreed to have a united stance during a meeting of parliament's bureau on Wednesday aimed at discussing the agenda of a parliamentary session set to vote on the extension of the legislature's mandate.
Their deal came during a meeting held on Tuesday night between al-Mustaqbal bloc chief Fouad Saniora, Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan, lawmakers Marwan Hamadeh, Butros Harb, Robert Ghanem and Ahmed Fatfat, and former MP Fares Soaid, who is the March 14 general-secretariat coordinator.
Former minister Mohammed Shatah and Nader Hariri also attended the talks at Center House.
The conferees telephoned Phalange leader Amin Gemayel and MP Sami Gemayel and agreed on a united stance during Wednesday's meeting, An Nahar daily said.
The parliament's bureau had set a parliamentary session on Friday to vote on the extension.
Major parties in both the March 8 and March 14 alliances have admitted that it was impossible to hold the elections on June 16 based on the 1960 law.
They are close to reach a deal on the extension of parliament’s four-year term that expires on June 20 but the dispute lies in the duration.
An Nahar quoted sources as saying that the conferees agreed that holding the polls based on the 1960 law would create a status quo that is rejected by the majority of political parties.
They also came to the conclusion that carrying out the elections next month was “a huge security adventure amid the current circumstances in the country.”
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