Jumblat 'Convinced' with Aoun's Presidential Considerations
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat welcomed on Wednesday Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun's national considerations into running for the presidency.
“I am convinced with Aoun's patriotic rational behind his candidacy,” said Jumblat following talks with the FPM leader in Clemenceau.
“We discussed issues that concern the nation,” he said after the meeting that was attended by his son Taymour.
Asked by reporters about the Western-Arab coalition against the Islamic State group, Jumblat called for placing it under the umbrella of the United Nations Chapter Seven in order to be successful.
Ten Mideast allies, including Lebanon, announced last week their backing for a strategy to "destroy" the terrorist group "wherever it is, including in both Iraq and Syria," following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in the Saudi City of Jeddah.
Jumblat also said that the coalition should include all parties and involved states. He did not give further details.
His comment was similar to remarks made on Tuesday by Aoun who said the coalition should include Syria.
Aoun also revealed that an agreement had been reached between several parties to extend parliament’s term.
He reiterated that his bloc is against any extension of the legislature's tenure, lamenting that the majority of blocs back it.
He said he had common viewpoints with Jumblat. “Coordination among us is ongoing.”
The FPM chief denied that they discussed the presidential elections.
Aoun's visit to Jumblat on Wednesday came more than a month after a similar meeting between the two officials at the FPM leader's residence in Rabieh.
During the August 6 meeting, Aoun and Jumblat discussed several issues, mainly Lebanon's battle against terrorism.
A joint statement said they “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.
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.
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