Berri Discusses with al-Rahi Presidential Election Session

Speaker Nabih Berri informed Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi that he will call for the first round of parliamentary sessions to elect a new president next week.

According to An Nahar newspaper published on Saturday, Berri and al-Rahi discussed in a telephone conversation, ahead of the Patriarch's return from Geneva, the upcoming presidential elections.

“Berri briefed al-Rahi on the latest developments concerning the presidential elections and that he is likely to call for a session to elect a new head of state in principle after April 16,” the newspaper said.

Al-Rahi urged Berri recently to hold parliamentary sessions in order to determine the characteristics of the new president.

The Constitutional deadline for the election of a head of state started on March 25. But several officials said that Berri would not call for a session if there is lack of agreement among the different parties on the candidate.

So far, only Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea has officially announced his candidacy for the post which is reserved for Maronite Christians.

Meanwhile, al-Joumhouria newspaper said that al-Mustaqbal movement chief Saad Hariri told his visitors that the consultations are still vague.

“Hariri will tackle the presidential elections with international powers,” the daily reported.

Head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc Fouad Saniora is also expected to kick off separate contacts with the March 14 allies over the matter.

President Michel Suleiman's six-year term ends in May but the Constitution states that the parliament should start meeting on March 25 to elect a new head of state.

Saniora is currently in Riyadh to brief Hariri on the results of consultations with the political arch-foes over the presidential elections.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea was the first to announce last week that he will run for the presidency.

Other presidential hopefuls are reportedly Kataeb party leader and ex-president Amin Gemayel, MPs Boutros Harb and Robert Ghanem, who are like Geagea members of the March 14 anti-Syria movement.

Other potential candidates are Hizbullah allies Aoun and Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh.

Lebanese presidents are always chosen from the Christian Maronite community.

-H.K.

-D.A.