Geagea Says Hariri Talks Tackled Aoun Nomination, Stresses FPM Chief Not 'Consensual'
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Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Monday said his Paris talks with former premier Saad Hariri tackled MP Michel Aoun's presidential nomination and the fact that the Free Patriotic Movement leader has proposed himself as a “consensual” candidate.
"I demonstrated with ex-PM Saad Hariri all the aspects of the political process related to the presidential vote and we discussed all the possible solutions to the crisis and raised all the possibilities," Geagea said during a press conference in the French capital, according to a statement distributed by the LF's media department.
"Ex-PM Hariri said that among the possibilities is the fact that General Michel Aoun has proposed himself as a consensual candidate. He said 'let's discuss how much General Aoun is a consensual candidate' and that's what we did ... and I had a very objective stance on the matter," Geagea added.
"I told him that contacts with the FPM are welcome and are beneficial for the country, knowing that we had tried to communicate with Hizbullah and the party did not show any desire to communicate with us," the LF leader said.
He added: "I told ex-PM Hariri that establishing contacts with the FPM is a good thing, but until the moment General Aoun is not a consensual candidate and that he cannot act like he did in the first and the subsequent sessions and yet consider himself to be consensual.”
Geagea stressed that Aoun cannot "suddenly become a consensus nominee after having spent nine years in a totally different political camp."
"Moreover, no one has informed us that the memorandum of understanding with Hizbullah has been annulled,” Geagea added.
But he pointed out that he does not have a “veto” on any candidate.
“Should General Aoun win, I will be the first person to congratulate him,” he said.
Geagea added: “The March 14 forces have a cause and are not merely running after power. We are seeking to prevent any deterioration in the country through the election of a candidate who can preserve the minimum extent of our beliefs and principles.”
He emphasized that the March 14 coalition will go to Thursday's electoral session as one bloc, urging the rival camp to head to parliament “to elect the candidate they want.”
In response to a question, Geagea said “Hizbullah is supporting General Aoun behind closed doors, but if Aoun is really their candidate, let Aoun announce his program and let them go to parliament to vote for him.”
Geagea also reminded that Kataeb Party chief Amin Gemayel and Telecom Minister Butros Harb, both of whom are presidential hopefuls, had “made initiatives towards Hizbullah, but the other camp maintained its negative stance.”
Earlier on Monday, remarks attributed to Geagea by some media outlets had caused confusion and prompted the LF to describe them as “incorrect, curtailed and totally inaccurate.”
“Remarks attributed by some media outlets to LF leader Samir Geagea about ex-PM Saad Hariri's stance on the endorsement of Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun's presidential nomination are incorrect, curtailed and totally inaccurate,” the LF's media department said in a statement.
Geagea was earlier quoted as saying that Hariri suggested during their Paris meeting the possibility of endorsing Aoun as a “consensual” candidate.
According to LBCI television, Geagea stressed during his Paris press conference that “Aoun cannot be considered consensual after all his political practices that are based on his memorandum of understanding with Hizbullah.”
The LF leader, according to LBCI, also emphasized that “the Lebanese Forces does not have a veto on anyone,” noting that “Aoun has not changed his political alignment to be considered consensual.”
Geagea and Hariri held talks that lasted more than three hours in Paris on Sunday, the second such meeting between them in two days.
“The viewpoints were identical regarding the need to hold the presidential vote within the constitutional deadline, to reject vacuum and to make all possible and needed efforts and contacts to prevent it,” said a statement issued Sunday by Hariri's office.
The two leaders' talks come amid a flurry of political consultations in the French capital, which witnessed Sunday a meeting between Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal.
Jumblat is also expected to meet with French President Francois Hollande while Geagea is scheduled to hold talks with a number of French officials.
Speaker Nabih Berri has called for a May 22 parliamentary session to elect a new president, which will be held two days before the end of President Michel Suleiman's term.
Should quorum be secured, the session would be the fifth since April 23.
Geagea received 48 votes during the first session, falling short of the 86 votes needed to be elected president from the first round. Most of the March 8 forces boycotted the sessions that were held afterwards, forcing a lack of quorum.
Y.R.
19 May 2014, 17:02
813
Aoun consensual ? There is nothing consensual about Aoun.
Even pure Aounist hate Aoun as he has strayed away from his beliefs and values.
It will be the end of Lebanon if Aoun becomes president.
Do not give in to Hezbollah blackmailing and terrorism. They will not impose a candidate.
The only possible president for Lebanon is one who believes in the republic and state of Lebanon and who will put an end to Hezbollah's weapons !
19 May 2014, 17:03
816
@Southern : Aoun is patriotic ? How do you see that ? He supports Iran's army in Lebanon breaching our sovereignty. He supports Syria raping our land everyday with their bombs.
Aoun is a traitor !
19 May 2014, 18:07
713
17 minutes ago The LF described remarks attributed to Geagea about his meeting with Hariri and the issue of endorsing Aoun's candidacy as “inaccurate.”
20 May 2014, 04:41
24
Jedo will not be president apparently similar to the army there are height restrictions on public office employees they must be able to reach the microphone without the aid of a step. FPM have decided to purchase some orange pumps for Jedo in order to overcome this obstacle. :)
19 May 2014, 17:06
812
"What this report does not mention is the heated exchanges that were heard by many & reported."
LOL
19 May 2014, 17:08
21
Geagea stressed during a press conference in the French capital.. a press conference attended by LBCI television only?
19 May 2014, 17:44
711
boar, reported by who ? do u think ur source is reliable or just some wishful thinking ?
Btw, do u support marada ? Why is it every time i go to Oz, i meet so many marida supporters ?
19 May 2014, 18:30
77
just wanted to know boar.
Am I wrong or Oz is full of maradas ? Did lot of christians from north emigrate there or something ?
20 May 2014, 06:01
24
Gentlemen the snore knows all there is about everything... he knows what Hariri thinks before Hariri does and remember if Mr snore say's so it Must be Fact!
19 May 2014, 17:19
00
mabrouk for Lebanon and the true beginning of the recontialations between true Lebanese on Lebanese bases
19 May 2014, 17:26
10
Sleiman Frangieh a criminal who personally murdered a bunch of people in a church in Mezyara and then some become president.
Bashir Gemayel a criminal responsible for the Aquamarina Safra massacres and then some became president.
19 May 2014, 17:35
68
Hariri will not endorse Aoun. This is all part of the dance.
"Suggesting the possibility" of endorsing Aoun is a long way from actually endorsing him.
Efforts are being made to get M8 traitors to appear at Parliament to carry out their constitutional duty, instead of carrying out orders from the Ayatollah by obstructing the vote and having a vacancy at the Presidential office.
19 May 2014, 17:43
711
I don't believe Geagea ever presented himself as a consentual candidate.
In any case, if Geagea cannot be president, neither can Aoun.
I hope both never meddle into politics in the first place !
19 May 2014, 18:44
115
Texas, the only people that ever made Lebanon a weaker state, was Israel and your Zionist masters. People such as you want to see Lebanon part of greater Israel or Saudi Arabia, it wont happen. So stop your dreaming, get into reality. In Syria you lost, in Lebanon you lost. Your time is over, even Hariri & Jumblat has discovered this. People such as yourself, keep screaming the same nonsense everyday, the rest of us is not a part of your dream world. The Resistance is here to stay, it is the will of the Lebanese people, not the will of your Zionist takfiri masters ofcourse.
19 May 2014, 18:54
15
If the report is true and General Aoun is elected president, what happens next? Does anyone have any insight into his programme or what he intends to do to help the Lebanese people? As much as I disagree with HA vision I still believe an anti HA president would cause more harm than good. The way I see it, maybe we are better off with an Iranian ally at the moment so that there's no confrontation, and then just sit and wait for regional developmens. Crazy situation, half assed solutions, but sure that's always been the case...
19 May 2014, 19:03
14
Alas my friends the decision of an independent Christian president is in the hands of the Sunnis, the Shiaas and the Druze, Christians have no say in it unless they are united, and we may populate Mars before that happens
19 May 2014, 19:06
13
To the person that's disagreeing with my view and thumbing down, not that I care about the thumbing down, but I would like to have your insight on the matter and why do you disagree with everything I'm saying
19 May 2014, 20:53
01
They are thumbing you down because you are reasonable, a rare commodity around here. You must be a nice family man with concerns for his children's future. You are absolutely correct, in my humble opinion, that the last person we need as president is someone who will declare war on HA. Sometimes you hold your nose and vote because of the alternative. Good to hear a voice of reason.
19 May 2014, 19:07
11
Aoun should be the next president, and Hariri the Prime minister as the only hope for better days and stability in Lebanon. I think both have the power to do good things for the country. They will both come in the same plane to Beirut either from Saudi Arabia or from Paris.
End of Story.
Aoun will play a major role in releasing HA forces from Syria as he is the only one to be able to negotiate with the party and PM Hariri will erase all Takfiries in the country.
19 May 2014, 19:08
04
We see things as a reflection of ourselves, so if you believe Lebanon is an Animal farm, I'm very happy you have another citizenship, we wouldn't like for you to associate yourself with the likes of us animals in your perspective
19 May 2014, 19:13
62
In my opinion,whenever someone really really asks for something and all he does is criticise you for not giving him that thing,the best medicine is to give him his wish and let him show us how he intends to manage it. Let Aoun take the presidency,let us see what you will do and how you will manage the rules of the state with your memorandum of understanding with the Hezb and lets see how successful you will be.if he does well then good for Aoun and for leb, if he doesn't then I hope all the Aounis will have the proof that you cant sleep with the devil and go to the Church every Sunday at the same time.
19 May 2014, 19:31
112
This turning in circles is proving one point, that neither Geagea nor Aoun will make it to Baabda, both are spent cartridges, both provide no solution, both are Non-consensual and both come loaded with luggage of yesteryear. The Lebanese need to know that neither M8 nor M14 are capable of providing any solutions, their mutual hatred will keep going till there will be no more Lebanese in Lebanon, so it's best to turn the page on both oligarchs, and let's get back to square one shall we? Where a sizable proportion of the Lebanese have called for new faces. Masalan I am beginning to get pretty happy with this term, Your Excellency President Demianos Kattar, a real good person, fully capable to lead by good example.
19 May 2014, 19:36
22
Excuse my ignorance here, I genuinely don't know who that person is, can you enlighten me or post a link to some info page or anything. Genuine request. From my side, I have always admired the way Ziad Baroud conducted himself with he was in charge of the elections, seemed like someone who can take charge and act independently.
19 May 2014, 19:33
13
wow, some of the comments or replies or whatever you call them are just fascinating.
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter."
Winston Churchill
19 May 2014, 19:45
33
No doubt that they probably did discuss the Aoun Candidacy. But Aoun has said that he will declare his candidacy only if he is a "consensus candidate". Given Aoun's commitments to Hezbollah and M14's stand with regard to Hezbollah, Aoun can only become president by election, not by consensus. He is not a consensus candidate, but then, neither is Geagea. The difference is that Geagea knows that he is not a consensus candidate and operates within the paradigm of elective politics. Aoun continues to entertain the fiction that he is a consensus candidate if only his political opponents would enter his world and drink the Kool-Aid.
19 May 2014, 20:03
11
To everyone giving out, rightly or wrongly, about HA, how is it that you expect the president elect, if he was from M14, to deal with them? What is it that you actually envisage? An all-out war that would most certainly destroy Lebanon? A political agreement that would have them lay their arms? I mean seriously, it's ok to have an opinion of course, but let's be realistic here, they have the guns, they have the unconditional backing of their sect, their Iranian masters, half the Christians, and so on...
19 May 2014, 20:20
11
That's my point, they are above the law, they are untouchable by any lebanese or foreign authority for that matter, unless it's Iran. You can not stop them doing what they're doing, whatever it is that they think they are doing. We know they can not possibly succeed in turning Lebanon into an islamic "Iran-like" state, not because we are tough mofos but because the international community won't allow it. So let them do whatever they are doing, let the scenario play, keep our families and children safe, let them have their day and proclaim their victory, until everyone who is backing them sees for themselves that this not the way to fight the other evil they are afraid of, we have two evils to beat, nothing good can EVER come from extremism, be it sunni, shiaa or christian.
19 May 2014, 21:08
12
If Hezbollah believes as it says in strong state institutions, Raad so spoke over the weekend, then why should their be a war between Hezbollah and the Government over Hezbollah placing its weapons under the authority of the State? Every loyal Lebanese would concede the position vis a vis the State and its institutions.
But then Hezbollah and its arms are Lebanese in name only. Actually these are Iranian loyalists who will respond only to the authority emanating from Tehran. How long can Lebanon afford to ignore this reality before dealing with it. M14 seeks to be realistic, where as Hezbollah wished to continue its existence behind a thinner and shorter veil of Lebanese legitimacy.
19 May 2014, 20:08
12
This is a time for reflection, not action, action will actually get us nowhere now, unless everyone is prepared for war. There's a cycle and a scenario that needs to be played, and NOBODY can do anything about it. I will reserve my opinion about what Aoun or anyone allied with HA, I fear at this moment of time for the existence of Lebanon, and maybe, just maybe, and that's only a theory, HA might be able to deal better with the influx of syrian refugees. We're caught between a rock and a hard place, nobody to turn to, powerless and desperate...
19 May 2014, 20:23
13
M11 I agree with you, save the house first, I think the syrian refugee problem is a bigger issue at this moment of time than an M8 or M14 president. Anyway, do you not at least objectively think HA is better equipped, especially religiously, to deal with the problem better?
19 May 2014, 21:02
04
Flame, the fact you are Lebanese in this day and age means you are sectarian, even if you yourself don't want to be. I'm not defending anyone here btw just replying to your comment. Everybody seems to support somebody no matter the objective or the program, all Lebanese parties are sectarian by nature and the Syrian conflict is sectarian by fact. If you think that there is any non sectarian solution to any Lebanese problem then I applaud you for your optimism. Furthermore, throwing the accusations of sectarianism on M14 solely is beyond logic since the M8 backbone is purely sectarian driven by the Shiaa doctrine of HA. All Lebanese share the problem of the Syrian refugees, to whom I have the utmost sympathy, but I have to disagree with you when you say that this is not a sectarian issue, because at its core this is all it is.
19 May 2014, 20:21
410
No i'm saying patriots are against Bashar and Hezbollah weapons. And yes, half the lebanese are not patriots.
Actually, much less than half given 45% didn't vote for M8 or M14 ... So effectively, half of 55% voted for M8 ... Live with it ! You live in an illusion !
19 May 2014, 20:41
12
I don't trust any party that swears allegiance to a different entity than Lebanon, saying that, I don't trust Hariri either, he has his own agenda... I trust you though, and that's a good thing any day
19 May 2014, 21:04
13
Half the population think your strong leader is a coward, and the other half think the other leader is a criminal, back to square one.
19 May 2014, 22:00
10
I'm of the opinion that electing Army generals at this moment of time is the safest bet, they will preserve whatever they can, and General Quahwaji has proved to be a true Lebanese on many occasions. I doubt he will be able to do anything of major consequences, but at least he is not confrontational and the chances are he will not sell us out, I'd like to think so anyway. I agree with you on Obeid, not that I'd rather Aoun but definitely a man whose hands are tainted with some of the most profitable deals made on the backs of the Lebanese people, but hey, this is only an opinion. Harb I have no opinion on, neutral, same as having anybody or nobody...
19 May 2014, 23:06
11
Everything will split. Army w jor also. Our wepins wouldn't be our Pens any more.
19 May 2014, 23:52
11
Nothing matters, really, genuinely, nothing. What matters is that we keep talking, try to find something in common so that one day, when the regional developments allow us to build a country, we won't be the tribal people we are now. This is all good, countries are not built in 5 decades, in which 3 were spent in a meaningless regional war with only one loser, Lebanon. I love my country, I always will, no matter how many times SOBs try and ruin it, it is still the most wonderful place on this planet. We are the most civilised people when we are individuals, we're good people, intelligent individuals. We haven't learned how to behave as a people though, religion and wonderful lovely decent leaders have never allowed us to express ourselves as a nation. The day will come when we all realize how pathetic all this fighting is, how meaningless the f..... Cause is.
19 May 2014, 23:52
11
I love and respect every one of you, I truly do, I admire your passion from all sides, I just wish you can one day direct that passion away from individuals and put it into rebuilding our most wonderful and beloved Lebanon.
20 May 2014, 04:31
24
Consensual this consensual that. Not only is it the most overused word but now has become the most misused word. Please tell us how can one be considered consensual when he is clearly aligned and has been for the last 9 years with a particular alliance against another?
If you truly believe there is such a thing as consensual in the Lebanese political arena then you are clearly fooling no one. You are either with or against certain principals. Aoun is now a moderate and passive diplomat even consensual? Lol. Consensual amongst the M8 element perhaps. In that case Geagea has consensus amongst M14 so please stop trying to paint Jedo as a saint for clearly all your hard work is being undone by the great ex general himself.
20 May 2014, 04:34
14
Allah Ye7mikon. Bed3ikon la ziyaret Australia ya shaykh sa3ed wa ya Hakim
20 May 2014, 04:36
26
Roar since you brought up the topic of avatars, your avatar says a thousand words. Are you Syrian by any chance?
20 May 2014, 05:57
14
roro snap out of it, you are not at work serving fast food... no need to keep yelling NEXT .
20 May 2014, 06:25
14
Just get it over with, nothing will change anyway... the iranian militia's gunmen & their arsenal of rockets will keep making the rules and informing them by threat or assassination.
