Aoun Says Promised Hariri to Guarantee His Return to Lebanon, Urges 'Parliamentary Vote or System Change'
Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Tuesday said he is waiting for al-Mustaqbal movement to nominate him or endorse a “new candidate” for the presidency, revealing that he had told Mustaqbal leader Saad Hariri that he would guarantee his “political security” if he returns to Lebanon.
“Mustaqbal Movement officials contacted me and we had the intent to meet in the summer of 2013 but the circumstances did not allow us to do so. We then scheduled a meeting in Rome and we agreed not to publicize it so that they (political rivals) don't force its failure before it even happens,” Aoun said in an interview on OTV.
According to media reports, the meeting between the two men was held in December 2013.
“I told Hariri that Lebanon cannot bear further deterioration and that the trials of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon had kicked off and that we would accept the rulings. I said the situation in Lebanon was deteriorating and that we cannot unite the country without cooperating with the other camp,” said Aoun.
He noted that he agreed with Hariri on “the issue of Lebanon's unity,” pointing out that Hizbullah's weapons were among the topics that they discussed.
“I did not discuss the presidential vote with Hariri and I told him that I can guarantee his political security if he returns to Lebanon but noted that I cannot guarantee it if I'm not in power,” added Aoun.
“I talked with Hariri about an electoral law based on proportional representation and 15 electorates and he said he would look into the matter but until now I have not received any answer,” the FPM leader said.
Asked about his response if talks with Hariri fail, Aoun said: “I do not know what would happen if negotiations with Hariri hit a dead end ... Can he find a figure who enjoys the consensus of both camps?”
“I think there are two obstacles holding back Hariri: his allies and Saudi Arabia, but this is my evaluation and I cannot judge things that I don't know,” he added.
“We cannot interfere in the issue of Hizbullah, which has become part of the solution in Syria. Hariri talked about the party's weapons in cities and I said that neither us nor Hizbullah want the weapons to be in the city. Will Hizbullah occupy Beirut for example?” Aoun asked sarcastically.
He noted that Hariri “can only endorse someone from his camp for the presidency.”
“But after he fails once, twice and three times, he must find a solution, or else we would stay three or four years without a president,” Aoun warned.
Asked if he intends to officially announce his nomination for the presidency anytime soon, Aoun said: “As long as there are no presidential candidates other than those who were in the first session – (Democratic Gathering MP) Henri Helou and (Lebanese Forces leader) Samir Geagea -- I will not attend the sessions, because we would be wasting time.”
“If al-Mustaqbal movement has another candidate, let them announce his name and we would congratulate them.”
Aoun pointed out that the constitutional timeframe for parliamentary elections “is in effect, whether there is a president or not.”
“We won't delay the polls to wait for the election of a president and we want to hold them under a new electoral law,” he said.
“Even if there is no president, the parliament has the right to legislate in issues related to the formation of authorities, such as the electoral law,” Aoun stated.
“The interior minister must set a date for the parliamentary elections and he has a one month deadline, between September and October, and if that does not happen, we will take other measures. I do not acknowledge the legitimacy of the current parliament in the first place and I had filed an appeal and I'm awaiting the ruling,” Aoun went on to say.
The FPM leader declared that “a drastic change will take place in the political system if the parliamentary elections were not held.”
“I will propose new rules for the election of the president, as it is unacceptable to continue things as they are now,” he added.
“We went to parliament and gave Geagea a chance, but he did not garner all the votes of his bloc,” Aoun said.
Asked about Geagea's initiative regarding the presidential election, Aoun said “the so-called Bkirki list (of candidates) has been refuted and Geagea's initiatives are futile.”
He noted that Wednesday's parliamentary session dedicated to vote on a new president “will be similar to the previous sessions,” which were stripped of the necessary quorum due to the boycott of Aoun and his allies.
“I will announce my nomination when the political situation in parliament becomes clear and when (the current candidates) are dismissed,” Aoun said.
“Don't I have the right not to announce my nomination? I want them to understand that our right cannot be easily usurped. They marginalized the president and the parliament after taking 37 parliamentary seats. They marginalized us in cabinet during the tenure of Michel Suleiman who had claimed that he wanted to preserve the rights of Christians,” the FPM chief lamented.
“It is totally rejected to choose the weakest Christian as president and I will not tolerate this ... I'm the strongest and I'm the one who represents (the Christians) and my popularity is on the rise,” he added.
Y.R.
Source: Naharnet
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