Report: Miqati Sends Friendly Message to March 14

Premier Najib Miqati intended to send a friendly message to the March 14 forces by hugging Fares Soaid, the coordinator of the coalition’s general secretariat, during a dinner hosted by the president at his hometown of Amsheet on Saturday.

A guest who attended the dinner banquet thrown by President Michel Suleiman in honor of Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, told An Nahar daily on Sunday that Miqati first shook hands with Soaid and then hugged him in front of the cameras.

At another point, the prime minister stood next to the March 14 official putting his arm on his shoulder. In another good gesture, Miqati stood behind Soaid and put both hands on the former MP’s shoulders.

During the three main moves that Miqati did, he spoke with Soaid about general issues, the guest said.

Miqati’s relations with March 14 reached an all-time low in January when the alliance accused him of treason after he accepted his nomination by the new parliamentary majority led by Hizbullah following the collapse of Premier Saad Hariri’s cabinet.

March 14 continues to accuse Miqati’s government of being a Hizbullah-Syrian cabinet.