Bassil warns against 'real military coup' in appointments
Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Tuesday warned that any attempt to appoint a new army chief of staff “in violation of the constitution and through bypassing the Defense Minister will be a real military coup” in the face of which the FPM will not stand idly by.
“If God forbid a president is not elected and a post becomes vacant in the Military Council, there is the principle of seniority and it was implemented in General Security,” Bassil added in a televised address.
“Those keen on the army must respect the law and stop dozens of consensual contracts, seeing as keenness on the institution should be translated into respecting its laws,” Bassil said.
As for the presidential file, the FPM chief said he highly values the French efforts and calls for “continuing them on the basis of helping the Lebanese reach an agreement, not imposing a president on them.”
“Dialogue between the Lebanese is beneficial and we have accordingly devised the presidential priorities paper and discussed it with everyone while saying that the program is more important than the person,” Bassil added.
Source: Naharnet
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