Bassil says attack on Hezbollah not targeted at Nasrallah, warns MoU at risk

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil announced Sunday that his latest criticism of ally Hezbollah was not targeted at its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, as he warned that the 2006 memorandum of understanding with the party is at risk.

“The Mar Mikhail agreement has not collapsed but is at risk,” Bassil said in an interview on LBCI TV, in reference to the latest tensions with Hezbollah over the caretaker cabinet session that was held despite the FPM’s rejection and boycott.

“In the issue of the cabinet meeting, no direct agreement was made with Sayyed Nasrallah, who has a special place in my heart,” Bassil explained.

“When Sayyed Nasrallah makes a commitment to me, he commits till the end and I do not question his honesty,” the FPM chief added.

He also confirmed that he meant the “Amal-Hezbollah duo” when he recently spoke of caretaker PM Najib Mikati’s “handlers.”

As for the issue of electing a new president, Bassil said Hezbollah has tried to convince him with backing Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh’s nomination to no avail.

“We do not agree to the principle of choosing a president who would protect the resistance… We want a president who would protect the state, partnership in the state, and the resistance,” Bassil added.

He also said that the equation “either Suleiman Franjieh or Joseph Aoun” is rejected because “no one can impose equations” on the FPM.

“We will not vote for Franjieh nor for Joseph Aoun,” the FPM chief stressed.

As for the dialogue that Speaker Nabih Berri intends to organize, Bassil said the FPM will take part in it.

“We don’t want problems with anyone, especially with Hezbollah, because we paid a lot of prices to reach the agreement with Hezbollah,” the FPM chief said.

And noting that he has not nominated himself in order “not to embarrass anyone,” Bassil revealed that he told Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in their meeting on Friday that “Christians should choose a president who would be a guarantee and who would reassure everyone, topped by Hezbollah.”