Kouchner, Hariri and Berri try to narrow gap over presidency

 

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner held a second meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri and parliamentary majority leader MP Saad Hariri in Ain al-Tineh Thursday afternoon but failed to bridge the political divide barring the election of a new president. The parliamentary session scheduled for Friday to elect a consensus president seemed destined for yet another postponement, but as The Daily Star went to press, no official announcement had been made.

 

Despite having reached consensus on the candidacy of Lebanese Armed Forces commander General Michel Suleiman, political rivals remain at odds over the shape of the new Cabinet and the premiership.

 

“Our work is ongoing and we are continuing our round of talks and we will meet again later. You will get the news once our work is done,” Kouchner told reporters upon leaving Ain al-Tineh after the three-hour meeting, the second in 24 hours he has held with Berri and Hariri.

 

Sources close to Berri told the Central News Agency (CNA) Thursday that Kouchner would stay in Beirut until Friday. “As long as Kouchner decides to stay in Lebanon it is an indication he hopes for positive developments and that he managed to remove certain obstacles,” the sources said, citing Berri.

 

Arafat Hijazi, Berri”s media adviser, told The Daily Star Thursday that both “political and constitutional”

obstacles still remain and that little progress has been made.

 

“The main obstacle remains that any amendment has to pass through the government, that is what experts say, and our position has not changed – the opposition will not accept any amendment that passes through this government,” Hijazi said, stressing the opposition”s continued support for the stance of Change and Reform Bloc leader MP Michel Aoun on this ussue.

 

After chairing a meeting of his bloc in Rabieh Thursday, Aoun told a news conference that he rejects compromising on his initiative, promising “daily changes” to his original initiative. “We are not frightened of a vacuum” in the presidency, he said. “We insist on a political understanding being reached before amending the Constitution, and we will not make any concessions on this issue.”

 

Aoun insisted on holding parliamentary consultations to form a new Cabinet prior to the election of the president and said he wanted a president who would have veto powers in the new Cabinet, adding that without such powers a president wouldn”t be able to achieve anything. Aoun renewed his attack on Premier Fouad Siniora”s government, saying it had “ruined the nation,” and adding that the country would not deteriorate further in the time it takes for the majority and opposition to reach an understanding.

 

“We are demanding the rights of the Christians lost 17 years ago as well as the opposition”s right to be fairly represented in the government,” Aoun said, denying that the road to electing a new president is closed, adding that he is ready to reach an understanding with the other side.

 

Opposition leaders were holding a meeting at Aoun”s residence in Rabieh Thursday when The Daily Star went to press.

 

Kouchner reportedly offered a three-point “exit plan” to both Hariri and Berri, a “declaration of principles” between rival political parties that would pave the way for electing Suleiman, the daily An-Nahar said Thursday.

 

The paper suggested the offer includes guarantees to both the opposition and the ruling majority, a compromise that should end the political impasse that has delayed the election of a new president.

 

The three points as published by An-Nahar include: agreement on Suleiman”s nomination and the constitutional mechanism needed to pass the necessary amendment; the formation of a national-unity government after the election; and promising to hold general elections in 2009 as planned based on a new and fair election law.

 

Kouchner, the paper said, hopes both sides will be “realistic enough” to accept the plan.
 

The CNA said Berri pointed to many positive developments achieved toward electing Suleiman as president, including “accepting the formula put forward by Aoun” to form a new government giving the majority 55 percent of Cabinet appointments and the opposition 45 percent.

 

Berri also met Egyptian Ambassador Ahmad al-Bidyawi Thursday, and later chaired a meeting of his Liberation and Development parliamentary bloc and updated bloc MPs on the results of his latest talks with Kouchner and Hariri ahead of Friday”s parliamentary session. Hariri also met with Bidyawi at Qoreitem Thursday and discussed the presidential election.

 

Berri later received calls from the Italian and Spanish foreign ministers, Massimo D”Alema and Miguel Angel Moratinos, and updated them on the latest developments concerning the presidential election.

 

Democratic Renewal Movement leader and March 14 presidential candidate Nassib Lahoud met with US Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman at his home in Achrafieh Thursday. Lahoud said afterward that with the top post vacant it was “no longer permissible” to set conditions for that election to proceed.

 

“The next president must be elected without restraining [his power], in fact we must ensure his freedom of action and secure constitutional powers,” Lahoud said. “There”s no longer an excuse for failing to elect a new president immediately after carrying out the constitutional amendment necessary.”

 

Later on Thursday Lahoud met with Suleiman in Yarze.

 

“I will explain to him that [March 14 forces”] reservations were to amending the Constitution, not to his nomination,” Lahoud said before their talks. “We dropped this condition in view of the dangerous situation Lebanon is going through.” Lahoud said the majority hopes all political groups cooperate and drop their reservations and their “unworkable conditions” to allow the election of a president as soon as possible.”

 

Minister of State for Legislative Affairs Michel Pharaon received Italian Ambassador Gabriel Checchia at his home in Sin al-Fil, and discussed with him developments in light of the nomination of Suleiman for president as the only consensus candidate and the issue of amending the Constitution.

 

Pharaon said it was vital that all sides in the dispute take advantage of this “historic opportunity” and elect a consensus president without delay, removing any “obstacles” and bolstering sovereignty, democracy and independence through an inter-Lebanese agreement that would limit foreign interference in the country.

 

“The ruling majority has many legitimate concerns since being a target of a series of assassinations,” Pharaon said of the current situation. “There are also legitimate Christian concerns, not just those of General Aoun, but also those of the Christians of March 14, regarding the presidency and the election law,” he said, adding that the international community also has concerns regarding continued stability in Lebanon.

 

He said some regional parties aim to take control of certain branches of authority in the country, pointing to “legitimate security concerns” the army has and fears among the public over the political crisis threatening stability and democracy in the country.

 

Resigned Water and Electricity Minister Mohammed Fneish met at his office in Parliament the UN special coordinator for Lebanon, Geir Pedersen, and discussed with him recent political developments and proposed solutions to the crisis as well as foreign mediation to resolve the impasse.