Geagea, Sami Gemayel Discuss New Ideas that 'May End Presidential Impasse'

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and Kataeb Party MP Sami Gemayel held talks on Tuesday on the latest developments in Lebanon, most notably the vacuum in the presidency and the need to end the political deadlock over the issue.

An informed source from their meeting revealed that the two officials “discussed proposals that may lead in the upcoming phase to the election of a new president.”

“Geagea and Gemayel agreed that the ongoing vacancy deprives the Christians from the position of the presidency,” it added.

The two officials also had “clear stands” on the extension of the term of parliament.

Gemayel remarked: “Extending the term of a parliament that was a failure on all levels is unacceptable.”

Commenting on the recent clashes in the northern city of Tripoli over the weekend, Geagea and Gemayel praised the army's successful operation, said the source.

They praised the residents of Tripoli who demonstrated that they do not provide a safe environment for terrorism, it added.

They also deemed as “excellent” the position of head of the Mustaqbal Movement MP Saad Hariri on the matter, saying that it proved that the LF and Kataeb Party were right in allying themselves with the Movement.

“His stance helped refute claims that the Islamic State group is allied with the LF and Kataeb,” remarked the source.

Asked why Christian leaderships have not been convening lately, the source responded: “It is unreasonable to hold such meetings when head of the Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun is obstructing the presidential elections and violating all that the Christians had agreed upon.”

“He does not respect or take into consideration the positions of other Christians in Lebanon,” it stressed.

Lebanon has been without a president since May when the term of Michel Suleiman ended.

Hizbullah and Aoun's Change and Reform bloc have been boycotting electoral sessions at parliament due to a disagreement with the March 14 camp over a compromise presidential candidate.

Geagea, a presidential candidate, had previously accused them of adopting such measures in to order to blackmail political blocs into electing Aoun as president.

M.T.