Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, a key member of March 14 majority alliance warned during an interview with Future TV on Friday that : If Prime Minister Saad Hariri is not nominated as the country’s new premier this could lead to increased tension within the Sunni community and will “ignite the flames of a strife .”
He said “Hezbollah and allies are playing with fire”
“The main goal of the March 8 coalition’s coup is to overthrow the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL).” He stressed and regretted the Hezbollah action saying “a court is faced in court ”
“They want to get rid of the STL. They realized they cannot succeed by pressuring domestic parties. So to overthrow the tribunal, the only choice they have left is carrying out a full coup.”
Geagea’s comment are in response to reports that Hezbollah will reject the nomination of Hariri as the PM designate to lead the future government
Lebanon’s president asked Hariri to stay on as caretaker prime minister on Thursday after Hezbollah ministers and their allies resigned in a dispute over an investigation into the killing of Hariri’s father. A statement issued by President Michel Suleiman called on the government to “continue in a caretaker capacity until a new government is formed”.
Lebanon’s government is dissolved when more than one third of its 30 cabinet members resign, and on Wednesday all 10 ministers belonging to the Iranian backed Hezbollah-led opposition announced their resignations. Hours later, they were joined by an eleventh minister representing Lebanese president Michel Suleiman, forcing the collapse of PM Saad Hariri’s government.
Saudi and Syrian officials have reportedly been working on a compromise that would resolve tensions in Lebanon over the imminent Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) indictment . Reports say that the STL may soon indict Hezbollah members in its investigation of the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri, father of Saad the current prime minister.
Hezbollah asked MP Michel Aoun to announce on Tuesday the failure of the Saudi-Syrian initiative and to blame March 14 alliance for the failure.
“The Lebanese president will begin consultations with lawmakers at 12:00 p.m. on Monday January 17 to designate a new prime minister”, parliament speaker Nabih Berri said after meeting President Michel Suleiman at the Baabda palace .
Former Lebanese premier and current Future Movement parliamentary bloc leader MP Fouad Siniora, told Al Arabiya TV on Wednesday evening : “Based on all available data there is no substitute for Saad Hariri to head the new government.”
Hezbollah according to reports has someone else in mind to lead the new government . Hezbollah MP Mohammed Raad unveiled on Thursday that the March 8 forces will name a personality with a history of national resistance to head the new government . Raad told reporters after meeting former President Emile Lahoud in response to a question on who will that be : “A personality with a national resistance biography, ” Raad said.
Reports circulated yesterday that March 8 coalition MPs will nominate for the premiership Former Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Mrad , a staunch ally of Syria .
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