Kanaan Discusses Document of Principles in Maarab as Aoun-Geagea 'Presidential Bargain' Ruled Out

Change and Reform bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan met on Friday with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea at his Maarab residence as part of preparations for the document of principles between the two sides, as sources close to the conferees denied reports of a possible “bargain” between Geagea and Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun.

OTV revealed that Kanaan and Geagea held talks for two hours aimed at “reducing obstacles” hindering the document.

MP Sethrida Geagea and LF media officer Melhem Riachi were present at the Maarab meeting.

Riachi and Kanaan had launched in recent weeks a series of meetings, at the behest of Aoun and Geagea, aimed at easing tensions between the two rival leaders.

Some media outlets saw in MP Geagea's presence a proof that the two parties have turned the page on the controversy stirred by a report on the FPM-affiliated OTV that took out of context remarks voiced by the lawmaker in parliament.

In the evening, OTV said Kanaan “returned relieved from Maarab, where a joint review of the phases of dialogue was conducted and a unified vision for the next steps was reached.”

MTV for its part said the meeting was “positive,” revealing that the document of principles has become ready, “after Geagea introduced his amendments.”

“Discussions are currently focused on the final draft before the LF-FPM dialogue gets underway,” MTV added.

Meanwhile, LBCI television said the document includes 17 clauses, “most of which have been agreed on.”

“The debate is currently focused on the dialogue's objectives and the steps that must be taken to reach the goals at two levels,” LBCI added.

“The first level is the relation between the two parties in terms of general and national principles in addition to the current political issues, while the second level is resolving the system crisis starting by the presidency,” the TV network said.

Separately, sources described as baseless media reports about an alleged “bargain” between the FPM and the LF over “the presidency, the army command and the interior ministry.”

“This scenario exists only in the minds of those who fabricated it and it was not discussed between Kanaan and Riachi,” the sources told LBCI.

In its Friday issue, Kuwaiti daily An Nahar had quoted a “political source close to March 14” as saying that Geagea was trying to convince Aoun of a deal in which the FPM chief would be elected president and the LF leader would be named interior minister.

The alleged source did not rule out that an officer close to Geagea might be appointed army commander under such a deal.

The dispute between the two sides is among the main causes of the ongoing failure to stage the presidential elections.

Lebanon has been without a president since May when the term of Michel Suleiman ended.

M.T./Y.R.