Berri: Don't Waste Time Trying to Convince Me to Vote for Aoun

W460

Speaker Nabih Berri has reportedly stressed that no one should “waste time” trying to convince him to vote for Free Patriotic Movement founder MP Michel Aoun in the October 31 presidential election session.

“Prior to his travel to Geneva, Berri told mediators that securing quorum for the Oct. 31 presidential election session is the maximum that he can do regarding the presidential file,” the Kuwaiti daily al-Qabas quoted a source close to Berri as saying in remarks published Sunday.

“This is already too much,” the source quoted Berri as saying.

“Berri called on mediators not to waste time trying to persuade him to change his stance that is opposed to the election of General Michel Aoun,” the source added.

Later on Sunday, Berri confirmed to reporters in Geneva that he told Aoun during their meeting on Thursday that he would not seek to strip the Oct. 31 session of its quorum although he is capable of making such a move.

Berri, who has openly declared that he opposes the election of Aoun, has pledged that his bloc will take part in the October 31 electoral session and that he will not try to strip the meeting of its quorum.

Berri's aides have accused Aoun and al-Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri of striking a “bilateral” agreement that would marginalize Shiites in power, allegations that Aoun and his movement have denied.

Aoun was tipped to become president after Hariri formally endorsed his nomination on Thursday.

Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014 and Hizbullah, Aoun's Change and Reform bloc and some of their allies have been boycotting the parliament's electoral sessions, stripping them of the needed quorum.

Hariri had launched an initiative in late 2015 to nominate Hizbullah's ally and Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh for the presidency but his proposal was met with reservations from the country's main Christian parties as well as Hizbullah.

The supporters of Aoun's presidential bid have argued that he is more eligible than Franjieh to become president due to the size of his parliamentary bloc and his bigger influence in the Christian community.

Comments 1
Thumb justin 23 October 2016, 15:17

it was the sunni-wahabi-hariri-geagea-mecca before?? now it is Islam?