Aoun Hariri Meet, To Hold Second Talks Before Friday Election
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11/22/2007
Lebanon's feuding political leaders and foreign envoys are engaged in intense last-minute negotiations to secure a compromise deal on a presidential candidate by a Friday deadline. But March 14 leaders insist that Syria and its allies are threatening the Lebanese with chaos in case their candidate is not elected.
REP
MPs Saad Hariri and Michel Aoun met yesterday evening in Rabieh. The meeting, which was held at the house of Deputy House Speaker Farid Makari, focused on holding the presidential elections in accordance with he constitution. Sources say the two leaders did not agree on a candidate to the elections but decided to pursue their meetings until they find a solution to the impasse. According to the Nahar daily, the meeting took place after both Hariri and Aoun received a phone call from French President Nicolas Sarkozy with whom they discussed the obstacles to compromise. The Nahar sources added that Sarkozy decided to call Aoun and Hariri in light of a call he made to Syrian president Bashar Assad. Note that MP Naamtallah Abi Nasr revealed that Aoun and Hariri will meet again this evening. The ruling majority and the Hezbollah-led opposition are discussing an accord that could see former minister Michel Edde elected president on Friday, when the mandate outgoing president Emile Lahoud expires. However, March 14 leaders insist that Syria and its allies are threatening the Lebanese with chaos in case their candidate is not elected. The Head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea said that Damsacus and its allies will hamper the elections if they don't have their own candidate elected. While he said chances that the majority and opposition reaching compromise are frail, he stressed the need that the MPs attend the parliament session on Friday and elect a new president. According to Geagea, if the election fails again, it will only be a few days before the March 14 leaders elect, by themselves, the future president. And Social Affairs Minister Nayal Moawad accused the March 8 forces, along with Syria and Iran of eliminating the role of the majority by imposing their own candidate and threatening with chaos in case their candidate is not approved. After meeting with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and Arab League Chief Amr Mussa, Moawad stressed her refusal of the election of a president for a two-year term. Similarly, the head of the National Bloc Carlos Edde reiterated the March14 refusal of the constitution's amendment to elect a president for a two-year term. He said if the March 14 leaders are to give in to blackmail and compromise on a president, the opposing camp will blackmail them again over the formation of the new government and the selection of the army chief 'If we are to surrender to the March 8 forces fearing civil war,' he said, 'the price will the purging of all who fight for freedom.' Under the constitution outgoing President Emile Lahoud's term in office ends tomorrow, and if his successor is not elected the reign of powers is legally given to the premier, creating a constitutional void. With the situation at hand this could lead to various situations including the creation of two governments or an interim president who would lead the country for two years. |
