Sleiman describes ties with Syria as “excellent”
Lebanese president meets with Assad in Doha
President Michel Sleiman described Lebanese-Syrian ties Sunday as "excellent," adding that Arab reconciliations reflected positively on Lebanon. Sleiman arrived in Doha Sunday afternoon to attend the two-day Arab League summit, which will convene on Monday.
Sleiman was greeted at the airport by Qatar”s Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and Arab League chief Amr Moussa.
In his address to the summit, Sleiman is expected to call for Arab reconciliation and solidarity in the face of Israel to promote stability in Lebanon, media reports said on Sunday.
Upon his arrival in Doha, Sleiman met with Syrian President Bashar Assad.
"We discussed subjects of mutual interest and the issues that would be discussed in the Arab summit," Sleiman told reporters following the meeting.
"Lebanon”s relations with Syria are deep: we are strongly tied to Syria historically, geographically and economically, but establishing diplomatic relations is necessary to tackle administrative issues," he added.
Sleiman also spoke about the issue of border demarcation with Syria, saying: "We agreed on this issue with the Syrians before the establishment of diplomatic relations."
Sleiman concluded that the June 7 parliamentary elections will be carried out "amid the spirit of democracy."
Meanwhile, the Tashnag party announced Sunday the names of five candidates for the upcoming legislative polls, without revealing its electoral alliances.
The party”s secretary general, Hovig Mekhitarian, told a news conference in Burj Hammoud before naming the contenders: "The party is reaffirming its decision to fully participate in the elections through candidacy and through voting in all districts, in a reversal of its 2005 boycott of the polls in Beirut."
Among the five candidates, Arthur Nazarian is the only official Tashnag member and will run in Beirut”s second district.
The rest of the parliamentary hopefuls were identified as: MP George Qassarji in Zahleh; MP Hagop Pakradounian in the northern Metn; Freij Saboungian for the Armenian Orthodox seat in Beirut”s first district and Krikor Calouste for the Armenian Catholic seat in Beirut”s first district.
"The revival of the Armenian parliamentary bloc serves to breathe life into what this bloc stands for and into its role in Parliament as an advocate of moderation and dialogue," Mekhitarian said.
The June 7 elections "must take place in a climate of democracy and must be free of violence and tension," he stressed.
"Fair representation in Parliament" will help Lebanon confront major challenges such as "development, the fight against corruption and accountability," Mekhitarian added.
Concluding the conference, he called on all members of Parliament to unite around the state, especially , "the president of the republic who was elected by full consensus."
MP Serge Torsarkissian, from the rival Armenian Ramgavar party said Sunday that "no solution" had been reached with Tashnag for the spring elections because the Armenian party "wants everything."
"It is necessary for Tashnag take a position [on alliances]," he told Voice of Lebanon radio.
Torsarkissian, a member of Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri”s parliamentary bloc, expressed his support for an Armenian parliamentary bloc, but cautioned that "if the bloc were [mainly] comprised of Tashnag, it would pose a danger to Lebanon."
Meanwhile, Speaker Nabih Berri and Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah met over the weekend to settle the remaining unresolved issues in terms of opposition tickets in both Shiite-populated and mixed districts, Al-Liwaa daily reported on Saturday.
The daily reported that Free Patriotic Movement Michel Aoun was "delegated to form the Baabda and Jezzine tickets and to determine who would run for the Shiite seat in [the coastal town of] Jbeil. Agriculture Minister Elias Skaff was assigned to form the list for [the Bekaa Valley town of] Zahle."
Speaking to a students” delegation at Le Royale Hotel Sunday, Aoun said the March 14 Forces were "battling the opposition because they want to preserve their personal interests and past gains."
He added that the opposition was "building the modern history of Lebanon, and the [other group] oppose this path."
"Today we need a parliamentary majority, which is different from the current one," he said.
Also tackling electoral issues, Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel said the June 7 polls "are tantamount to a referendum on the future of Lebanon."
"These elections will decide whether Lebanon will be an independent, sovereign and stable country, or tied to causes contrary to its interests," he said. "The Phalange wants to build a strong state, capable of preserving sovereignty, and defending the dignity and wellbeing of its citizens."
Lebanese Forces head Samir Geagea dismissed the notion of any dispute with the Phalange Party during a visit to Zahle on Saturday. On the coincidental weekend visit to Zahle by both Gemayel and Geagea, the LF boss said: "Regretably, I did not meet him. But the LF is present where Gemayel is, and the Phalange party is present where the LF is."
Geagea, who arrived in the eastern Bekaa town of Zahle earlier Saturday, said he had no problem with Skaff, despite having different political affiliations.
Geagea is expected to meet with the city”s main figures during his stay in Zahle for the next few days.
Skaff, meanwhile, expressed surprise about the timing of visits by Geagea and Gemayel to Zahle on Saturday. In an interview with Ad-Diyar newspaper Sunday, Skaff stressed that a major electoral battle would take place in Zahle and he confirmed his alliance with the FPM.
Also Sunday, a number of politicians announced their candidacy in the June elections. Former MP and March 14 Forces member Fares Souaid announced his candidacy in the district of Jbeil.
Souaid addressed Sleiman, describing him as the Jbeil region”s "gift to all of Lebanon."
Meanwhile, the Jamaa Islamiya launched its electoral campaign in the north and officially announced the names of three candidates.
The Jamaa Islamiya candidates include Rami Durgham for one of the Sunni seats in Tripoli, Asaad Harmoush for one of the Sunni seats in the Minieh-Dinieh district, and Mohammad Houchar for one of the Sunni seats in Akkar.