Opposition Sets New Demand, Majority Warns against Overstepping Arab Initiative

 
The opposition has set new terms for the election of army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman president while the ruling majority warned against overstepping the Arab initiative.

 

The new demand was made by Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh during an interview late Thursday on LBC”s Kalam al-Nass show.

 

Franjieh said electing Suleiman was not possible unless the majority grants conditional approval for the 1960 electoral law, a demand already rejected by the March 14 alliance.

 

“Give us the 1960 electoral law and we will vote for Michel Suleiman tomorrow on condition that the election law is adopted during the same parliament session to elect a President,” Suleiman said.

 

He said the agreement must be made at the same parliament session scheduled to elect a new head of state.

March 14 officials on Friday said Franjieh”s remarks were seen as evidence that Syria and its allies were behind the new conditions in a bid to “overstep the Arab initiative and create a new status quo in Lebanon to avenge the painful blow to Syria from the Arab boycott of the Arab summit.”

 

They said, consequently, any mediation effort by Arab League chief Amr Moussa as well as an initiative by Speaker Nabih Berri will inevitably face a dead-end as long as such demands come prior to preparatory contacts for the dual move.

 

Franjieh said that if Moussa returned to Beirut “with the same proposals, then this means failure of the Arab initiative.”

 

Franjieh launched a vehement attack against Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir, saying the prelate was not the “right authority” to study election laws.

 

“He (Sfeir) has become just like (Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei in Iran,” Franjieh said.