Aoun: No Negotiations with Me, No Presidential Election

Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun has said he was indefinitely the opposition”s sole negotiator, adding that if the majority continued to reject dialogue with him presidential election will not be held soon.

 

“I am the negotiator in the name of the opposition until further notice,” Aoun said Monday in an interview with Al-Manar station, New TV and OTV.

 

“If they don”t want to negotiate with me that”s their problem…but at the end the final say rests with me. The negotiation articles have been agreed upon and are in my pocket,” he added.

 

Last week, Aoun announced that the Hizbullah-led opposition has assigned him to take part in political dialogue with the parliamentary majority based on a written document.

 

He has so far refused to disclose details of the document.

 

“No one can decide on anything outside of the document”s parameters…If there was no negotiation here (Rabiyeh), there will be no elections in parliament,” he warned.

 

He said he was the only one who would inform the Lebanese people and legislators in both camps that if agreement was not reached, no election would take place.

 

“If we weren”t able to reach an understanding now, I don”t think we”ll be able to do so in two weeks or three or even one month or two. I think the issue has become clear. Let”s take a long break,” until next March to elect a president, he said.

 

When asked why the March 14 forces were insisting on not holding talks with him, Aoun said: “because they want someone whom they could blackmail.”

 

He also accused MP Saad Hariri of rejecting the election of a successor to Emile Lahoud whose term ended on November 23.

 

“Saad Hariri and the pro-government (forces) don”t want the election of (Army Commander) Gen. (Michel) Suleiman. They are creating obstacles” so that he doesn”t reach the top post,” Aoun said.