Nasrallah says Hezbollah keen on MoU with FPM

Hezbollah is keen on its 2006 memorandum of understanding with its ally the Free Patriotic Movement and "will not withdraw" from it "unless the FPM wants so," Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has said.

"All the allegations that the latest cabinet session was a political message or a blow or another thing are baseless," Nasrallah said in a lengthy meeting with Hezbollah's governmental work team days ago, according to al-Akhbar newspaper.

The cabinet session was the reason behind the unprecedented tensions between the two allies. As Hezbollah, caretaker PM Najib Mikati and their allies considered the session an urgent one aimed at approving emergency issues, the FPM argued that the meeting was unnecessary and amounted to an attack on the constitution and the president's powers amid an ongoing presidential vacuum.

Nasrallah defended the session in his remarks, saying his party decided to take part in it after it was briefed by its relevant officials about the dangerous situations in hospitals and in the telecom and internet sectors.

"We held contacts with MP Jebran Bassil, who was categorical in rejecting the session based on his stance, which considers the government as resigned," Nasrallah said.