Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi will not accept the formation of a government from which the two major Christian parties are missing, officials in Bkirki said.
The officials, who were not identified, told al-Joumhouria newspaper published on Monday, that “no one should ever think that the Maronite patriarch would give his consent to a cabinet from which the biggest Christian parties are missing.”
Full StoryThe Lebanese Forces on Friday announced that a suspicious aircraft had resumed its flights over the residence of LF leader Samir Geagea and the LF's headquarters in the Kesrouan town of Maarab.
The LF's media department said the “unidentified aircraft” has been hovering over the area since several days and that its most recent overflight took place “at 4:00 a.m.” Friday.
Full StoryLebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has accused the March 8 alliance of obstructing the formation of the new cabinet to stand by Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun.
In an interview with An Nahar daily published on Thursday, Geagea said: The March 8 team is obstructing the all-embracing government whether intentionally or not or based on Hizbullah's willingness to stand by Aoun.”
Full StoryLebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea urged on Tuesday the president and the prime minister-designate not to waste any time and use their authorities to form a neutral cabinet.
In remarks to the Central News Agency, Geagea said President Michel Suleiman and Premier-designate Tammam Salam should “not waste any additional time and use their constitutional authorities to form a neutral government (that excludes) the March 8 and 14 alliances.”
Full StoryLebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea said Saturday that harmony between cabinet members would currently be only guaranteed by the formation of a neutral government.
“The country shouldn't be left without a cabinet on condition that it be harmonious,” Geagea told a delegation visiting him at his residence in Maarab.
Full StoryLebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Wednesday stressed that there is no “fundamental dispute” with the Mustaqbal Movement, noting that the LF would only join the new cabinet if the Baabda Declaration was adopted as the ministerial policy statement.
“I'm more and more convinced that the LF won't take part in the cabinet,” Geagea said in an interview on Future TV, before underlining that his party would join the new government “if the Baabda Declaration was adopted as the only political component of the ministerial Policy Statement.”
Full StoryLebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea warned on Monday that his assassination would have major repercussions on the March 14 forces and Lebanese policies in general.
He told al-Arabiya television: “Preparations to assassinate me are ongoing.”
Full StoryLebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea described on Saturday remarks by ex-Prime Minister Saad Hariri regarding the cabinet formation process as a “good will gesture,” stressing that his party will not participate in any cabinet that doesn't include “the slightest political change.”
“Hariri's statements are considered a good will gesture and not an agreement on including the army, people, resistance formula in the new cabinet's ministerial statement,” Geagea said in a press conference in Maarab.
Full StoryThe Hague - Naharnet Feature
Former General Security chief Jamil al-Sayyed did not succeed in attaining the goals he had set by attending the opening sessions of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which is probing the assassination of former premier Rafik Hariri.
Full StoryMarch 14 independent MP Butros Harb stressed that the March 14 alliance has an agreement over the broad headlines of the cabinet formation process, stressing that the formation of a neutral cabinet remains better than vacuum amid the delicate situation Lebanon is passing through.
“There is a comprehensive meeting over the main principles with the Lebanese Forces,” Harb said after talks with head of the LF party Samir Geagea in Meraab on Wednesday night.
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