Aoun, Gemayel, Franjieh Meet in Bkirki amid Geagea's Absence

The seat of the Maronite church in Bkirki witnessed Friday evening a meeting between top Maronite leaders, amid the absence of Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea for “security reasons.”

“Bishop Samir Mazloum presided over a meeting attended by Kataeb party leader Amin Gemayel, head of Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun and Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh,” state-run National News Agency reported.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi joined the meeting shortly after the end of a mass he had presided over in Jbeil.

After media reports initially said that Geagea was present at the meeting, LBCI TV said the LF leader did not attend for “security reasons.”

MTV said the meeting was planned in advance and that Bkirki witnessed “strict security measures.”

NNA said the meeting ended at 10:00 PM.

"The meeting of the three Maronite leaders with Patriarch al-Rahi has ended and a statement about the talks will be issued on Saturday morning," MTV said.

Al-Rahi on Tuesday announced that he will not nominate a certain candidate for the presidency, calling for the election of a president who is able to “heal the rifts” among the Lebanese.

“We're working with everyone to secure holding the presidential vote on time. MPs have a two-month deadline to elect a president and nothing prevents holding the first session to elect the president on Monday,” al-Rahi said.

President Michel Suleiman's tenure ends in May 2014 but the constitutional period to elect a new head of state begins on March 25.

Geagea announced Friday that Speaker Nabih Berri will call for a parliamentary session to elect a new president once a delegation he has tasked to communicate with all parties finishes its mission.

“Speaker Berri will call for an electoral session when the committee finishes its tour,” Geagea said after meeting with the three-member panel in Maarab.

“There are strenuous efforts to hold the vote within the constitutional timeframe,” Geagea told reporters.

Al-Rahi has urged Berri to convene a legislative session as soon as possible to elect a new head of state.

The patriarch will be the only religious leader with whom Berri's envoys would meet given that the 1943 power-sharing agreement states the president should be a Maronite.