Bassil calls for dialogue without 'preconditions'
Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has called dialogue “without preconditions” regarding the presidential crisis, hours after a 12th presidential election session failed to produce a new president.
“The session proved that no one can bypass the Christian component as to the presidency, that no one can impose a president on anyone, and that the FPM is committed and only follows its beliefs,” Bassil tweeted.
“Every intransigence will be met by another intransigence, seeing as there can be solution except through consensus over the program and the president without elimination or outsmarting attempts, and no president can succeed without an agreed-on program,” the FPM chief added.
“Drop the preconditions for this would not be a dialogue and give up the theories of imposition and confrontation because this would not be Lebanon. Meet us over the (FPM’s) presidential priorities paper with any necessary amendments, which would make consensus easier over names that befit such a sovereign, reformist and rescue program,” Bassil went on to say.
The FPM and the opposition had agreed to vote for ex-minister Jihad Azour in the session, granting him 59 votes in the first round. The candidate of the Hezbollah-led camp, Suleiman Franjieh, meanwhile garnered 51 votes.
No second round was held due to the withdrawal of Hezbollah and its allies from the session.
Source: Naharnet
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