Geagea Praises President's Stances, Calls on Salam to Form Cabinet or Resign
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea hailed on Monday President Michel Suleiman over his “sovereign stances,” calling on Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam to form his cabinet within two weeks or to refrain from the task.
“The presidency is the only position in this state that is alive as the caretaker cabinet isn't moving and the parliament is paralyzed,” Geagea told al-Akhbar newspaper in an interview.
He called on the Lebanese parties to back Suleiman, lashing out at the president's critics.
“Shall the president remain mum before the incidents along the border or is he a traitor because he is defending his country,” Geagea wondered.
He pointed out that the “only hope for our country is the president.”
Asked about the process of the cabinet formation, Geagea said that Salam has no excuse in his delay.
“Salam has no time left... We grant him two weeks to form his cabinet or he should resign from carrying out the task,” the Christian leader said.
Following the resignation of Premier Najib Miqati's cabinet in March, Salam was designated to line up a cabinet, amid conflicting positions between the March 14 alliance that demands forming an impartial cabinet, the March 8 forces insisting on forming a political one, and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat's objection to a cabinet that does not represent all Lebanese factions.
Geagea called on officials to swiftly form the cabinet to appoint a new army chief or extend the tenure of Gen. Jean Qahwaji, who will turn 60 in September, the maximum age for the post of the army commander.
The vacancies in the council would be followed by a similar vacuum in the army's management department. Maj. Gen. Abdul Rahman Shehaitli will retire around May 24.
Concerning Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi's accusation to the March 8 and 14 alliances of “tarnishing Lebanon’s image” and paralyzing state institutions in addition to shoving the country in Syria's crisis, Geagea urged the Patriarch “to hold the real side responsible for the crises in Lebanon.”
The LF leader expressed fear over the security situation in the country, slamming the strong rhetoric by some officials who are targeting the army.
Syria's civil war has exacerbated sectarian tensions in Lebanon and its security situation has deteriorated due to various groups intervention in battles in the neighboring country.
Although Lebanon has officially adopted a position of neutrality in Syria's war, its people are sharply divided with Hizbullah and its allies backing President Bashar Assad's regime and the March 14 coalition supports the rebellion.
17 June 2013, 09:45
415
“Shall the president remain mum before the incidents along the border or is he a traitor because he is defending his country,”... only true lackeys like Franjieh would come out and attack the President for taking a stand against Assda's aggression in Lebanon. Speaking of Assda's lackeys Mansour should have long ago been striped of his post for dereliction of duty.
17 June 2013, 10:28
413
Hakim Rules! although am not LF! he talks straight and Lebanese!
Just like President Sleiman god bless the last 2 of lebanese pride!
17 June 2013, 11:16
105
god bless you hakim but why are you so stupid. You act like a fool and carry out the orders of your masters in Saudi Arabia like as if nobody knows. Stop making us Maronites look like morons in front of the rest of our Lebanese compatriots. Come on man seriously either get a root and get over it or tell them to lock you back up as it would probably work in your favour. That said, they will wipe you out once they're done with you. Truuuuust me bibi.
17 June 2013, 15:54
63
Why not? We've had idiots and thieves as presidents. Why not a criminal and a loser who screws his own people every time?
18 June 2013, 08:27
10
why is it always GG to blame for the lebanese war? he is the result of the war and not the cause of it! if GG is criminal then Joumblat Berri Nasrallah and all the others are crminally the same! can u be that biased? Have u ever noticed u and smarts like u that he did almost12 years term in jail while other crminals ruled over us?
GG is the only MAN unlike runners to embassies and leaving people behind!
17 June 2013, 17:01
35
Your concern should be about a General relieving himself from duty and still calling himself a General.
A General that one day says something and changes his mind the other.
A General who called Bashar el Assad a murderer responsible for killing Hariri on French TV and now supporting Bashar unconditionaly.
Clean up your own mess before dealing with others ...
17 June 2013, 20:12
13
He's the man who's famously credited for stating and confirming that amn al moujtama3 al massi7i tole3 art 7akeh bi art 7akeh. wlak min addak ya 7ak...await ma3touh?
17 June 2013, 19:02
27
No No The Ethiopian Emperor is a "Sunni" with PHD while the Thrower is a "Maronite" but illiterate. The Roar is Australian who typically posts at 4 in the morning Australia local time:)) The wolf is FT's brother and Centurion is FT's action hero. Got it now?
17 June 2013, 23:25
11
orthodox law would have been a big mistake---you don't correct one wrong with another wrong and keep the cycle of mistrust going. also, mixing religion and politics hasn't exactly been good to this country--we need to find a way to dissociate religion from politics.
better yet, we need to keep politics in the background instead of politicizing EVERYTHING.
