Aoun: There is No Need for Moussa”s Return if Majority Rejects 3 Tens Formula

Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun said there was no need for the return of Arab League chief Amr Moussa given the majority”s rejection of a Hizbullah demand that the opposition be granted a third of the seats in a new 30-member government so as to have veto power over key decisions.

“The three tens (formula) is very important to us. If they (March 14 alliance) don”t want the three tens … we believe giving it up is a concession,” Aoun told Hizbullah”s al-Manar TV on Wednesday.

 

“The one-third (formula) calls for power to be equally distributed among the three forces. They (March 14) have prevented giving the President that majority so we would be stripped of the one-third-plus-one power,” Aoun explained.

 

“This also requires guarantees,” Aoun insisted.

 

Addressing March 14, Aoun said: “They should understand before going to the Feb. 24 talks that if they didn”t take this issue into consideration there is no need for them to come,” he went on.

 

“We want guarantees that we will be authoritative in decision making on key issues,” Aoun stressed. “This is a major demand for any settlement.”

 

“If they are not willing to give such guarantees, it is better for them not to come (to the meeting),” Aoun added.