Report: Aoun Won't Budge on Presidential Crisis
A Free Patriotic Movement official has said that MP Michel Aoun rejected an offer made by Progressive Socialist Party chief Walid Jumblat to pull his candidacy for the presidency in favor of a compromise candidate.
The official, who was not identified, told al-Akhbar newspaper published on Thursday that Jumblat proposed to FPM chief Aoun to end his presidential bid and agree with the rest of the factions on a consensual candidate.
Aoun refused but was unable to convince the PSP leader, who is also a lawmaker, with his point of view, the official said.
Jumblat visited Aoun in Rabieh on Wednesday upon the advice of Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
A joint statement issued described their meeting as “frank and friendly.”
The talks “focused on several issues, mainly Lebanon's battle with terrorism,” it said.
Aoun and Jumblat “stressed unconditional and absolute support to the Lebanese army,” and discussed ways to confront the growing challenges, including the activation of constitutional institutions and the speedy election of a president.
The two lawmakers, who head parliamentary blocs, also discussed the importance of keeping contacts between the PSP and the FPM to bring the Lebanese closer, the statement said.
Change and Reform bloc MP Alain Aoun told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat on Thursday that the Rabieh meeting broke the ice between Aoun and Jumblat.
Another member of Aoun's bloc, lawmaker Naji Gharious, said despite the differences between the two parties, “Jumblat is not our enemy. He is a political foe.”
“Any meeting between two officials is good even if they don't agree on certain issues,” he told al-Joumhouria newspaper.
Asked if Jumblat's meeting was aimed at pulling out the candidacy of Jumblat-backed MP Henri Helou, Gharious said: “I don't have information in that regard.”
In his turn, PSP spokesman Rami Rayyes said Jumblat visited Aoun because he felt the dangers threatening the country.
He did not comment on the talks that focused on the presidential deadlock.
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.
Jumblat, a centrist, has backed Helou. The March 14 alliance has thrown its weight behind Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, and the Hizbullah-led March 8 camp has supported Aoun although he has not officially announced his candidacy.
Change and Reform bloc lawmakers and the majority of the March 8 MPs have boycotted several rounds of parliamentary sessions aimed at electing a president, causing a lack of quorum.
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