Hezbollah-FPM dialogue makes major progress as Bassil submits paper

The talks between Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement witnessed “major progress” over the past hours, a media report said.

“The two sides exchanged proposals for agreeing on the program and identity of the upcoming president,” al-Akhbar newspaper reported.

FPM chief Jebran Bassil has submitted a “detailed work paper that involves an agenda for the coming period and addresses two main issues,” the daily said.

“The first point is aimed at agreeing on consolidating and activating partnership in governance among all Lebanese components, with the next president enjoying the approval and support of the FPM seeing as it is the main Christian representative,” al-Akhbar added.

“The second point is agreeing on key headlines for the program of the upcoming president in connection with the priorities paper that the FPM had previously proposed, while agreeing on the topics that represent main concerns for Hezbollah,” the newspaper said.

Accordingly, Bassil asked Hezbollah for its approval and for “working with the rest of the allies to make practical steps aimed at paving the way for declaring a major agreement that involves the presidency,” al-Akhbar added.

Informed sources meanwhile told the newspaper that Bassil’s new paper focuses on two main elements: passing the broad administrative decentralization law in parliament and the law related to the trust fund.

“Bassil requested that the comprehensive agreement be linked to the approval of the two laws and other matters prior to declaring support for a specific candidate,” the daily said.

Hezbollah’s leadership for its part has started studying the papers presented by Bassil ahead of discussing it with its allies, especially Speaker Nabih Berri and Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh, the newspaper added.

“Hezbollah is dealing very positively with the initiative submitted by Bassil and it has informed him of its intention to preserve full partnership. The issue was reflected by Hezbollah’s decision not to allow Najib Mikati’s government to name a new Central Bank governor prior to the election of a president. Hezbollah has also told Bassil that it does not accept the continuation of the same policies that (Central Bank chief Riad) Salameh has been using in managing the Central Bank and the monetary policy,” the daily said.