Report: Nasrallah Advised Jumblat to Discuss Presidential Crisis with Aoun
Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has reportedly advised Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat to visit Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun to resolve the presidential deadlock.
“We have a president … He is Aoun and we continue to back him,” As Safir daily quoted Nasrallah as telling Jumblat.
“You shouldn't talk only to me. Go see Aoun and agree with him,” the Hizbullah chief said.
Lebanon has been without a president since May 25 when Michel Suleiman's six-year term ended amid a failure by parliament to elect a successor over differences on a compromise candidate.
The March 14 alliance has backed the candidacy of Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea. But the Hizbullah-led March 8 camp has not officially announced its support for Aoun, who has claimed that he would run for the presidency only if there was consensus on him.
Jumblat visited Nasrallah last month to discuss the presidential crisis.
A statement issued by their parties said the talks focused on the need to elect a president as soon as possible and boost coordination among security agencies.
According to As Safir, Nasrallah's advice to his visitor came after Jumblat told him that the Christians and Druze were getting weaker in the region amid a rise in extremism.
“Lebanon's Christians and Druze are packing and leaving,” he said.
“A president should be elected quickly to prevent the situation from building up,” Jumblat added.
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