Hariri Urges Opposition to Elect President

Al-Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri on Saturday urged the opposition to cooperate with the majority to elect a president for the split nation.

 

In an interview with Kuwait television, Hariri said: “The Arab initiative is clear … What is important is to start implementing it by electing a president, because this election is the base of the whole initiative.”

 

The initiative, Hariri added, is a “roadmap to the formation of a national unity government and working out a new election law.”

 

“We aim at implementing this initiative, to elect a president … and end the existing void.”

 

Hariri reiterated that electing Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman President is the core of the Arab initiative.”

 

He said he did not refuse to meet Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, noting that “in our opinion the Arab initiative is clear and does not require any clarification or interpretation. If they are convinced that the existing void should end, then we should elect a president.”

 

Proposing pre-conditions on the presidential elections “is not in favor of Lebanon or the Lebanese people,” he said.