Siniora: Lebanon is Better off if Aoun books himself one way ticket

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Former Lebanese Prime Minister and current Future Movement parliamentary bloc leader MP Fouad Siniora responded to Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun’s statement that “he booked a one-way ticket for former Prime Minister Saad Hariri.”

Aoun’s statements are “full of hatred and tension,” Siniora said , asking, “Was it not easier for Aoun to book himself a ticket so he and others could rest?”

Aoun said on Friday evening that Hariri’s style of governing “impoverished” Lebanon, adding that “the Hariri’s plan is over.”

Similarly Future bloc MP Assem Araji responded on Saturday Aoun’s comments on Hariri.

“Aoun’s comments carry a lot of incitement against Hariri, who is a former PM and the leader of a large political party and the largest parliamentary bloc,” he told Akhbar al-Yawm news agency.

“What does it mean to say that we gave Hariri a ‘one way ticket?’ Does that mean that March 8 parties can order anyone to leave the country?” Araji asked.

The Future Movement MP also said that he knows many secrets about Aoun, adding that the FPM leader signed the Memorandum of Understanding with Hezbollah in 2006 only after Hariri rejected his proposal to become the next president.

Failed MPs

Siniora commented on the newly formed cabinet by calling it one-sided, adding that” Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s government has the largest number of ministers who failed in parliamentary elections.”

Siniora said that this cabinet was formed ” to serve other than Lebanon’s interests “, a possible reference to Hezbollah which controls the cabinet and which is allied with Iran and Syria

Tripoli clashes

The former PM also said Friday’s Tripoli clashes were to serve political of the new cabinet at the expense of the citizens’ security and stability.

“The Lebanese army and security forces should address attempts to incite strife firmly,” he said calling on Mikati to make Tripoli an arms-free city.

Armed clashes erupted in Tripoli on Friday following a rally in support of Syrian protesters. The military official of the Hezbollah and Syrian backed Arab Democratic Party, Ali Fares was killed and 6 others including one army soldier and a seven year old child. At least 59 others were reportedly injured and some are in serious condition .

Many analysts question why the Alawite party should have a military official .

Jabal Mohsen ( home of the Arab Democratic Party) and Bab al-Tabbaneh areas have been in recent years the scene of intense clashes between Sunni supporters of Lebanon’s former PM Saad Hariri and Alawites who are loyal to the Hezbollah-led coalition backed by Iran and Syria.

Mikati came under fire for the way he handled his first crisis since he formed the cabinet .

Mikati on Friday accused the opposition of being behind the clashes that took place in Tripoli . This outraged the opposition who accused him of slander specially since he talked before the investigation of the incident started .

“What Mikati said today is slander against us”, Future Movement MP Samir al-Jisr told Future TV on Friday

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