Aoun mourned the death of all efforts to resolve the obstacles for government formation and accused PM designate Nagib Mikati and president Michel Suleiman of siding with the former majority , in reference to March 14 alliance.
In an interview with his own TV station OTV on Wednesday evening Aoun held Mikati and Suleiman completely responsible for the failure of the efforts to form a government
Aoun said Mikati should respect the opinion of the new majority that picked him to represent it in the government formation . Aoun said “we have reached the current impasse because they don’t want to hand over power to the new majority adding that both Suleiman and Mikati are mentally ( not physically) with the former majority .”
Aoun also said that he doesn’t feel that “Mikati wants to eliminate corruption and this is one basic difference we have with him and the country cannot go on like this”. Aoun pointed out that ” there are foreign factors that are influencing Mikati’s thinking and “such as his opposition to Aoun’s acquisition of the ministry of interior ” He said
Commenting on president Suleiman he said ” the Wikileaks report prove that he does not want March 8 to to govern the country because of the presence of Hezbollah which they claim is a terrorist organization , but Hezbollah didn’t even slap any one inside Lebanon ”
One observer who watched Aoun during the interview told Ya Libnan: “We should call the General Mr. Forgetful. May be Hezbollah didn’t slap anyone inside Lebanon but they sure killed many Lebanese and if that is not terrorism what is ? He added what do you call the 2008 attack against western Beirut and Mt Lebanon ?”
The observer was referring to the May 2008 uprising by Hezbollah when the Iranian and Syrian backed militant group occupied the western part of Beirut and tried but failed to occupy Mt Lebanon . More than one hundred Lebanese died during the Hezbollah uprising .
Commenting on the reports that Mkati may form a de facto government if consensus efforts fail he said: “Forming a de facto cabinet is an irresponsible and dangerous act because the PM designate does not have absolute power and should follow the instructions of those who appointed him “.
Aoun said that he does not believe the president will sign off on a de facto government .
Aoun added ” it appears that Suleiman and Mikati promised the US and Europe that only a government to their liking will be formed , if this is not the case then why all these foreign visits ”
Aoun said that President Suleiman was a party in the parliamentary elections and used the Ministry of the Interior for his own interest.
Commenting on his criticism of the ministry of interior he said ” it is a performance problem”
He added: “I insist on having the ministry of Interior whether they like it or not” and stressed that the president is not authorized to have any share in the cabinet
Aoun defended the Syrian regime and said those who stand behind the uprising are the same who stood against Hezbollah in the 2006 war against Israel. He predicted the Syrian regime will win in the end .
Aoun’s statement on Wednesday about the Syrian regime contradict his 2005 position.
In a WikiLeaks cable from Paris dated March 31, 2005 Aoun was quoted as saying that the collapse of the Syrian regime is “inevitable ” adding that the security institutions in Lebanon should be restructured because they are a copycat of Syrian apparatuses.
In another cable dated April 29, 2005, Aoun expressed concern that he would be used by the Syrians or those backing the Assad regime.
Commenting on the assassination of Osama bin Laden, Aoun said that “Lebanon is not party to the conflict against bin Laden”. He added that “while some considered Bin laden a criminal a others considered him a martyr “. Aoun praised Bin Laden’s fighting record and attacked those who are cheering his death ” people should not cheer the killing of anyone …not even the enemy. ” He said
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