Nasrallah Calls for Involving Berri in 'FPM-Mustaqbal Agreements', Renews Support for Aoun
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah revealed Tuesday that the Free Patriotic Movement and al-Mustaqbal Movement have reached “agreements” regarding the presidential election, calling for involving Speaker Nabih Berri and Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh in the understandings.
“The country has entered a positive political course regarding the presidential election amid reports that the head of al-Mustaqbal Movement (ex-PM Saad Hariri) might announce his support for General Aoun's nomination,” Nasrallah said after making a rare public appearance at the Sayyed al-Shohada Complex in Dahieh to deliver a speech marking the eve of Ashoura.
“We normally support and welcome any positive political development that achieves the desired result regarding the presidential juncture and we would acknowledge the efforts and courage of anyone who exerts efforts in this regard,” added Nasrallah, apparently referring to Hariri and his recent return to Lebanon.
Reiterating Hizbullah's support for Aoun's nomination, Nasrallah said “Hizbullah's choice has always been clear.”
“We are the people of honesty, loyalty and commitment to our stances. This is how we've always been and this is how we'll always remain,” he added.
“There are agreements between the FPM and Mustaqbal, so where is the problem in forging agreements with Berri, Franjieh and the rest of the allies?” Nasrallah asked.
“Should Franjieh withdraw from the race, will the presidential vote take place? Before Hariri announces his nomination of Aoun this theory is meaningless,” the Hizbullah chief noted.
He warned that there are parties that are trying to “take advantage of the presidential developments to sow discord between Hizbullah and the FPM and between Hizbullah and the AMAL Movement and the Marada Movement.”
“The Lebanese are required to exert efforts to reach an understanding and must come together to elect a president and form a national unity government that gathers everyone before we start preparing for parliamentary elections,” he added.
Nasrallah also called on “allies and friends” to “return to the government in return for commitment to the National Pact and partnership,” adding that “serious efforts must also exerted to resume the parliament's legislative role.”
Recent media reports have said that Berri is willing to accept “half a package deal” involving agreements on the electoral law, the oil exploration file and the finance and energy ministries in return for backing Aoun's presidential bid.
Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014 and Hizbullah, Aoun's Change and Reform bloc and some of their allies have been boycotting the parliament's electoral sessions, stripping them of the needed quorum.
Hariri, who is close to Saudi Arabia, launched an initiative in late 2015 to nominate Franjieh for the presidency but his proposal was met with reservations from the country's main Christian parties as well as Hizbullah.
The supporters of Aoun's presidential bid argue that he is more eligible than Franjieh to become president due to the size of his parliamentary bloc and his bigger influence in the Christian community.
As for Syria, Hizbullah's chief said the Gulf states “must accept political solutions if they want the welfare of the Syrian people.”
“The Americans, Saudi Arabia and some regional countries are blocking the political solutions in Syria,” Nasrallah said, noting that “there are U.S. and Israeli objectives in Syria and Daesh (Islamic State group) and al-Nusra (Front) are being exploited to achieve these objectives,” Nasrallah noted.
And warning that the region is heading to further escalation and tensions, Hizbullah's chief said the U.S. withdrew from the agreement with Russia after “finding out that separating al-Nusra from the rest of the armed groups, especially in Aleppo and Idlib, is impossible.”
“The Americans realized that striking al-Nusra would weaken the rest of the armed groups,” he added.
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