Hariri Agrees with Aoun to Block Extension of Suleiman's Term
Al-Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri and Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun agreed not to extend the term of President Michel Suleiman, a local newspaper reported on Saturday.
According to al-Liwaa newspaper, Hariri and Aoun discussed during a previous meeting in February in the French capital Paris the presidential elections along with the formation of Prime Minister Tammam Salam's cabinet.
Hizbullah sources told the daily that the two officials agreed not to extend the tenure of Suleiman and to guarantee the needed quorum for the first parliamentary session set to elect a new president.
Aoun confirmed in February that he met with Hariri and Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, two days after Salam formed what he described as a “national interest cabinet.”
“Hizbullah is not embarrassed of my rapprochement with Mustaqbal (Movement) and we will all be able to close ranks,” he added.
The Constitutional deadline for the election of a head of state started on March 25. But several officials said that Speaker Nabih Berri would not call for a session if there is lack of agreement among the different parties on the candidate.
Suleiman's six-year term ends in May but the Constitution states that the parliament should start meeting March 25 to elect a new head of state.
-H.K.
-D.A.
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