Report: Mustaqbal, FPM Reach Settlement on Appointment of Roukoz as Army Chief
Al-Mustaqbal Movement leader and former Prime Minister Saad Hariri has reportedly agreed on a settlement with Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun regarding the appointment of his son-in-law Commando Regiment chief Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz as army chief.
According to Ad Diyar newspaper published on Sunday, Hariri's envoy will soon inform Aoun about his agreement.
The package will include the appointment of head of the Internal Security Force's Information Branch Imad Othman as ISF chief.
The daily however said that Hariri's agreement would block Aoun's presidential aspirations.
The FPM chief has previously rejected any attempts to extend the terms of high-ranking security officials.
In February, Aoun had withdrawn confidence from Defense Minister Samir Moqbel over the extension of the term of the head of the Higher Defense Council, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Khair.
The FPM described Moqbel's extension decision as “illegal,” arguing that the defense minister's jurisdiction states that he can extend the terms under the authority of a president.
Media reports had said that Aoun's main objective is to receive political consensus on the appointment of Roukoz as army chief as part of a package for the appointment of other top security officers.
Roukoz's tenure ends in October while the term of army commander Gen. Jean Qahwaji expires at the end of September.
Despite the reports about his insistence to have his son-in-law as army chief, Aoun denied that he had made such a proposal.
The military posts 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 Michel Suleiman whose tenure ended in May last year. The vacuum also threatens the ISF as chief Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Basbous is set to retire in June.
Information obtained by Ad Diyar said that Speaker Nabih Berri and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat have no veto on the appointment of Roukoz as army chief, as such a decision would pave the way for a breakthrough regarding the presidential stalemate.
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