Doha tells Hezbollah, FPM it's not clinging to army chief

Qatari envoy Abou Fahad Jassem Al-Thani has told Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement that Doha is not clinging to the nomination of Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, a media report said on Monday.

In his meetings with Hezbollah secretary-general’s political aide Hussein Khalil and FPM chief Jebran Bassil, Al-Thani spoke of new candidates not including Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh, “not because there is a problem with him, but rather due to the stance of the Christian blocs that have rejected him,” al-Akhbar newspaper reported.

“The Qatari envoy stressed that no one is clinging to the army chief if his nomination is provocative to anyone, noting that the Qataris would support any other candidate who might enjoy the consensus of the parliamentary blocs,” the daily added.

“It has become clear that for a while now, Qatar has been keen on including the name of General Security acting chief Brig. Gen. Elias Bayssari as one of the candidates whose chances have surged,” al-Akhbar said.

And as Bassil told Al-Thani that he supports “an effective dialogue in order reach a common candidate,” Hezbollah reiterated to the Qatari envoy that it is still clinging to Franjieh’s nomination, the daily added.