Gemayel to Begin Talks with Political Leaders Tuesday to Ensure Presidential Polls are Held
Kataeb Party chief Amin Gemayel slammed on Monday attempts to thwart the presidential elections, noting that some foreign powers are keener on the elections than Lebanese officials.
He said during a press conference: “We will begin meeting with political leaderships starting on Tuesday in order to avert vacuum.”
He warned that all of Lebanon's achievements over the years would go to waste should powers fail to stage the elections.
Moreover, he said that the accomplishments on the government and security levels should be crowned by holding the polls.
“We must overcome all divisions. These disputes should not obstruct the elections,” demanded Gemayel.
The initiative must therefore be taken to ensure that they are held, he explained.
“We are in agreement with all of our allies on the need to elect a president who is popular among Christians,” said the Kataeb Party leader.
The first round of the presidential elections was held on April 23 with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and Democratic Gathering MP Henri Helou the only two officials so far running in the polls.
A candidate needed the vote of 86 lawmakers in order to emerge victorious in the first round.
The second round of the elections was scheduled for April 30, but it was not held over a lack of quorum at parliament after the March 8 alliance, except Speaker Nabih Berri's Development and Liberation bloc, boycotted the session.
Berri scheduled a third session for Wednesday, but observers are expecting it to fail once again over a lack of quorum.
The ongoing divisions between the March 8 and 14 camps over the elections are raising fears of vacuum in the presidency.
President Michel Suleiman's term ends on May 25.
M.T.
S.D.B.
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