Former Lebanese PM and Future Movement leader Saad Hariri stressed Thursday during an interview with LBC that he returned to Lebanon to end the presidential vacuum , because this vacuum is a disaster for Lebanon.
He challenged Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah to return to Lebanon as well and the party’s interference in the neighboring countries because this is not in Lebanon’s interest .
Hariri sounded optimistic that a president will be elected soon in Lebanon.
“We must not lose hope in the presidential issue and today there are real candidates whom we can elect,” Hariri went on to say, noting that he is “reassured that a president will be elected in the next session or in the session that would follow.”
Addressing the issue of the presidential candidates Hariri said no one should expect him to secure votes for the election of Free Patriotic Movement founder MP Michel Aoun as president.
“Let no one ask me to secure votes for the election of Michel Aoun as president, despite my appreciation of him, and if he can secure the votes I will head to the parliament tomorrow.” said Hariri
“Despite the reconciliation between Aoun and (Lebanese Forces leader Samir) Geagea , I’m committed to (Marada Movement chief MP) Suleiman Franjieh’s nomination. But should Aoun secure enough votes, I will go to parliament and congratulate him,” Hariri said.
“ General Aoun and I spoke about the issue but he was not accepted by my allies. I then discussed Franjieh’s nomination with them and they did not show much opposition. My concern is putting an end to vacuum, because it is a disaster for Lebanon,” he added.
“I have made a presidential initiative due to the ongoing crises at level of decision-making in all state institutions,” Hariri told LBCI.
He warned that vacuum in Lebanon “led to the May 7 (2008) clashes” and “vacuum only leads to problems and difficulties.”
Hariri noted that his nomination of Franjieh “aims to extend the hand to the other camp.”
“I have made a presidential initiative due to the ongoing crises at level of decision-making in all state institutions,” Hariri told LBCI stressing that he is not doing so to become the next PM .
“Forget about the PM position, since this is the least of my concern at this stage , all I want is to rescue the country from this dangerous vacuum “, he said
He warned that vacuum in Lebanon “led to the May 7 (2008) clashes” and “vacuum only leads to problems and difficulties.”
Hariri noted that his nomination of Franjieh “aims to extend the hand to the other camp.”
“With all due respect to to Hezbollah chief , we have our presence in this country and we have nominated a figure who belongs to his camp but we cannot execute Hezbollah’s instructions,” the former PM added.
Hariri also revealed that he told FPM chief Gebran Bassil during their meeting last week that he is “committed to Franjieh’s nomination.”
Addressing the differences he has Geagea over Aoun’s candidacy he said:
“This is the only issue that we don’t agree on but we agree on many issues with our ally Dr Geagea” , adding “nothing separates me from my allies except death”.
Addressing the tensions between Hezbollah and Saudi Arabia, Hariri underlined that “it is a terrorist act when Hezbollah goes to Yemen, Bahrain, the UAE and Saudi Arabia and when it jeopardizes Saudi security and Gulf security.”
“When Hezbollah fights to defend Lebanon it is an act of resistance, but what is it doing in Syria, Iraq and Yemen? Where is the interest of the Lebanese in all of what’s happening?” he wondered.
“I tell Sayyed Nasrallah that I have returned to Lebanon and I call on him to return to Lebanon as well. He must take Lebanon’s interests into consideration before the interest of any other country. Lebanon needs a president and stability,” Hariri stressed.
“We support Hezbollah when it fights Israeli occupation but we are against any military act outside Lebanon,” The Future Movement leader emphasized.
The Lebanese parliament failed again on March 2nd and for the 36th time in a row to elect a president to replace MichelSuleiman whose term ended on May 25 , 2014.
As in the past sessions the parliament was unable to reach a quorum because the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group and its ally MP Michel Aoun’s Change and Reform bloc MPs boycotted the session, because they could not guarantee Aoun’s election as a president
Speaker Nabih Berri a key ally of Hezbollah postponed the election to March 23, 2016.
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