Military Commander: Aoun's Presidential Battle Not with Me
Military Commander General Jean Qahwaji criticized on Thursday Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, stressing that any possible extension for his term is “legitimate and legal according to article 55 of the law defense.”
“Some have a problem with others but are addressing me. They chose the wrong address for their battle,” Qahwaji's visitors quoted him as saying in comments published in As Safir newspaper.
The Army commander addressed Aoun saying: “I am not obstructing your path to reach the presidency.”
“Some Lebanese sides don't support him... It's not my responsibility.”
He pointed out that the military chief becomes “automatically a presidential candidate despite his opinion... but I am not seeking to increase my shares and I avoid discussing the matter when I meet with diplomatic and political figures.”
“I challenge anyone to say otherwise,” Qahwaji remarked.
Lebanon has been without a president since the end of President Michel Suleiman's tenure in May over a sharp debate between the March 14 and 8 coalitions on his successor.
On Tuesday, Defense Minister Samir Moqbel was at loggerheads with the FPM after Aoun decided to withdraw confidence from him over the extension of the term of the head of the Higher Defense Council, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Khair.
The tenure of Khair expires on February 22.
The military positions in Lebanon are suffering as the result of the months-long presidential vacuum in light of the parliament's failure to elect a successor for Suleiman. The vacuum also threatens the position of Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Basbous who is set to retire in June.
The tenure of Qahwaji is also set to end in September. His term was extended for two years in September 2013.
Sources close to the FPM told al-Akhbar newspaper that Moqbel intends to extend the term of more than 20 officers in different posts, however, the term of Commando Regiment chief Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz, who is Aoun's son-in-law, is not included.
Roukoz's tenure ends in October 2015.
The FPM describes Moqbel's extension decision as “illegal,” arguing that the defense minister's jurisdiction state that he can extend the terms under the authority of a president.
The newspaper said that efforts exerted to gather Qahwaji and Aoun on dinner at Roukoz's residence during the past two weeks failed.
Sources told al-Akhbar that Aoun aims at pushing Roukoz to head the army if he failed to reach the Baabda Palace.
H.K.
G.K.
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