Kataeb leader Amin Gemayel and the head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc Fouad Saniora agreed on the importance of coordination between the March 14 alliance's members before backing any presidential candidate, sources said Tuesday.
Saniora visited Gemayel on Monday after talks with al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri in Riyadh.
Full StoryLebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stated that the deterioration of the situation in Lebanon led him to run in the presidential elections, reported the Saudi daily al-Watan.
He told the daily: “I would not have run in the elections if I was not certain of the March 14 alliance's support for me.”
Full StoryAl-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc leader MP Fouad Saniora is in Riyadh to brief al-Mustaqbal movement chief ex-Premier Saad Hariri on the results of consultations held in Beirut over the presidential elections.
An Nahar daily said Friday that Saniora was accompanied by Nader Hariri, the adviser of al-Mustaqbal movement leader.
Full StoryLebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea revealed on Friday that he will propose to Hizbullah if he was elected as president “real partnership,” considering that the theory of “vacuum at the presidential post is better than choosing a weak head of state” has crumbled after he ran for the presidency.
“I will suggest real partnership with Hizbullah to build a state that is capable with the army's weapons as the only means to protect all the citizens,” Geagea said in an interview with As Safir newspaper.
Full StoryThe ambassadors of major countries in Lebanon are expected to kicked off “soon” a series of contacts with the main and serious runners for the presidential elections.
According to al-Joumhouria newspaper the endeavors aim at inquiring the programs of the candidates.
Full StorySpeaker Nabih Berri is expected to call for a parliamentary session on April 22 to elect a new president, As Safir newspaper reported on Wednesday.
The daily quoted well-informed sources as saying that lawmakers would be invited to head to parliament on April 22 or 23 to elect a successor to President Michel Suleiman, whose six-year term ends on May 25.
Full StoryLebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea remarked on Tuesday that he is currently the LF's candidate in the presidential elections, hoping that he will soon become the March 14 camp's candidate.
He said: “Should I emerge as a victor in the elections, I will act as a president for the all the Lebanese people, but one who adopts the March 14 forces' approach.”
Full StoryForeign Minister Jebran Bassil has reportedly told the adviser of al-Mustaqbal movement leader Saad Hariri that Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun would not announce his candidacy for the presidency if there was no political consensus on him.
During a meeting with Nader Hariri on Sunday night, Bassil, who is Aoun's son-in-law, said the FPM leader rejected his possible candidacy to be considered against the presidential bid of Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea.
Full StoryMaronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Monday traveled to Switzerland on a five-day official visit, reiterating his call for the election of an “honorably” strong president.
Al-Rahi, who headed to Geneva, was accompanied by Bishop Boulos Matar and Bkirki spokesman Walid Ghayyad.
Full StoryA meeting held between head of al-Mustaqbal movement leader Saad Hariri's adviser and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea following his candidacy to the presidential elections was to confirm the “strong ties” between the allies.
According to al-Joumhouria newspaper published on Monday, Nader al-Hariri and Geagea's meeting “came at a time to stress the strong ties between the factions of the independent move and the consultations between them.”
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