Bassil warns against Line 29, says won't name Miqati as PM
Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has warned against adopting Line 29 as it may result in "a political, media and perhaps military confrontation."
Bassil said that President Michel Aoun and Caretaker Prime minister Najib Miqati have agreed on an approach before negotiating with U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein who is due in Lebanon on Monday.
He added that there is no unified Lebanese stance regarding Hochstein's proposal and that Israel, the U.S. and "those in Lebanon who support Israel" are trying to stop Lebanon from starting extracting its offshore gas.
On another note, Bassil said he won't name Miqati for the PM post as he re-accused him of protecting Central bank Governor Riad Salameh. "On a personal level, I love and respect him," he added.
He named a number of MPs who, according to him, could be appointed to the post, lik Abdel Rahman Al Bizri, Fouad Makhzoumi, Nabil Badr and Rami Fanj. Bassil also mentioned Former President of the U.N. Security Council Nawaf Salam whom he said he does not support politically.
As for the upcoming Cabinet, the FPM chief said he doesn't want to be a minister and that being one in the last government was "a huge political mistake." He also denied having "ever" discussed becoming president with Aoun.
"I only become a candidate for Presidency if I announce it," he said.
Source: Naharnet
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