The immediate concern is the Baabda-Aley by-election to replace former MP Edmond Naim , who passed away last week. Abu-Faour, who represented MP Walid Jumblatt in his meeting with Aoun is trying to avoid a heated battle in Baabda-Aley that could further divide the March 14 Forces of the Cedar Revolution.

"There is a certain conviction by all March 14 Forces that the elections should be an occasion to reunite all March 14 Forces ... and to push our march for a stronger more independent Lebanon forward," he said.

Although the date is not yet set, the Baabda-Aley by-election is expected to witness a very fierce electoral battle in case concerned political factions do not agree on a compromise candidate. There are three candidates currently running for the post:

. Pierre Dakkash, who was adopted by Aoun as a compromise candidate. He ran in last june elections and lost to Edmond Naim
. Dory Chamoun, head of the Liberal National Party and son of former president Camille Chamoun.
. May Chidiac former anchorwoman of LBC TV who was maimed in an attempt on her life last September.

Tony Nasrallah, FPM Spokesperson explained Aoun's reasons for adopting Dakkash as a compromise candidate:
"Dakkash is a very well known figure that is close to everyone in Baabda-Aley and he came first after Naim during the last elections," Nasrallah said.

Dakkash, who visited Speaker Nabih Berri during the day, labeled himself as a compromise candidate, asserting he was not part of any political party.

"I do not represent any political party at all," Dakkash said following his meeting with Berri, and added "I want to assert again that Aoun was not the one to present me as a compromise candidate, he merely accepted me as one after I asked him to."

"Whether the compromise occurs over me or over someone else does not matter, what matters is that the area is spared an electoral battle in such hard circumstances."

But Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said during an interview with LBC TV last Thursday night that Dakkash can not be viewed as a compromise candidate "just because Aoun decided so."

"A compromise candidate means a candidate we all agreed upon after sitting down and debating the issue. Aoun can not just send someone our way and say 'this is my compromise candidate, take it or leave it' and expect us to agree ... this is not how things are done," he said.

Geagea added that he was not concerned about the by-elections in Baabda-Aley. "We have our ways, and we know how to win the seat if there is an electoral battle over it," Geagea told his interviewer, Marcel Ghanem

He said his party has not decided on its candidate yet.
"We are still waiting to see if we can reach an agreement over the candidate with other political forces, mainly with Aoun's FPM. We don't have a candidate yet, but our electoral machine is getting ready for an electoral battle, in case no agreement is reached," he said.

He added that TV anchorwoman May Chidiac , did not represent the LF.
"It is true that May is a dear and close friend of my family... and she supports the LF, but she is not a member of the LF," he said.

In a separate development, former Lebanese president Amin Gemayel, said the March 14 alliance had hoped to keep MP Michel Aoun on their side and had repeatedly asked him to cooperate "but unfortunately, the other party has problems with that." Asked if Aoun's ambition to become president stopped him from joining the March 14 alliance, Gemayel replied: "You should ask him," adding that the alliance had not yet given up on uniting everyone.

Commenting on the Baabda-Aley elections, Gemayel said he hoped all parties would reach a consensual solution, but if a battle is to be waged the Phalange Party's side is with the March 14 alliance.

Sources: LBCTV, local media