Gemayel Brushes Off Aoun's Proposal as 'Elimination War, Dangerous Scheme'
Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel on Thursday rejected a proposal by Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun on limiting the presidential battle to himself and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, describing it as a “war of elimination” against democracy.
“General Aoun's proposal is a 'war of elimination' that is aimed at getting rid of everyone,” Gemayel said during an interview on LBCI television.
"This is very dangerous," he added.
“Should we reduce all the Lebanese to two candidates? I refuse that such an approach be imposed on the Lebanese because such an approach would abolish all politics,” Gemayel said.
On Wednesday, Aoun announced his willingness to attend a parliamentary session aimed at electing a new president if political forces pledge to limit the voting process to him and Geagea.
“I'm willing to go to parliament if I receive pledges that the electoral battle will be limited to me and Geagea,” said Aoun during an interview on MTV.
But Gemayel slammed Aoun's suggestion as an attempt to “abolish democracy.”
“Impeding the process of electing a new president is a heresy,” he added.
“The approach of (limiting electoral competition to) Aoun and Geagea is not on the table and we in March 14 have done everything in our capacity to secure the election of a president but all our initiatives were met with rejection,” Gemayel noted.
The parliament on Wednesday failed for the sixteenth time to elect a president due to a lack of quorum as Geagea reiterated his accusation that Aoun's Change and Reform bloc is obstructing the polls.
The first session was held on April 23 but none of the candidates received the sufficient amount of votes to be elected president.
Hizbullah and Aoun's bloc have been boycotting electoral sessions due to a disagreement with the March 14 camp over a compromise presidential candidate. Geagea has accused them of adopting such measures in order to blackmail political blocs into electing Aoun as president.
Gemayel noted that his candidacy was mentioned during the Bkirki Maronite meetings, adding that he believes that “the next president must immunize the domestic scene and hold talks with the foreign forces.”
“Domestically, my concern is focused on uniting the Lebanese and the foreign policy must be based on neutrality,” he added.
“The parliamentary situation has proved that none of the candidates can garner the majority of votes and I told (al-Mustaqbal movement leader MP Saad) Hariri that we have no choice but to overcome this obstacle,” Gemayel said.
Commenting on efforts by Speaker Nabih Berri and Druze leader MP Walid Jumblat to launch dialogue between the rival parties, Gemayel said: “Nowadays, there are dialogue efforts and we must reach a solution with any candidate, be it me or anyone else.”
As for the controversial extension of parliament's term, Gemayel described it as “an erroneous course and an eschewal of duties.”
“We're willing to go to parliamentary polls if the Constitutional Council reverses the extension law and we believe that the circumstances are appropriate for holding elections,” he added.
Y.R.
Source: Naharnet
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