Contacts Underway to Finish Off Zahle, Kesrouan Electoral Lists
The majority March 14 coalition has intensified its contacts in an effort to finish off the Zahle and Kesrouan electoral lists.
Tourism Minister and Phalange Party candidate Elie Marouni said March 14 leaders held an emergency meeting in Zahle overnight in hopes that the list would be announced on Sunday or Monday.
Marouni said ongoing negotiations were also held to broker a deal to include former cabinet minister Mehsen Dalloul on the Zahle ticket.
Pan-Arab daily Al Hayat said Friday the Zahle list headed by Roman Catholic MP Nicolas Fattoush, will include Toni Abou Khater (Catholic), Elie Marouni (Maronite), Issam Araji (Sunni), Joseph Saab (Greek Orthodox) and Oqab Saqr (Shiite).
On the other hand, Popular Bloc leader Elie Skaff did not announce his ticket although most of the candidates” names have been uncovered, except for the Sunni nominee which awaits March 14″s decision on the Sunni contestant.
Skaff also has decided to cooperate with former Secretary-General of the foreign ministry Ambassador Fouad Turk and ruled out the possibility of replacing him on his list which includes Free Patriotic Movement MP Salim Aoun (Maronite), MP Hasan Yaqoub (Shiite), Camille Maalouf (Greek Orthodox) and Armenian George Kassarji.
Meanwhile, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said the joint Kesrouan ticket between March 14 and independent candidates would be announced in a few days, stressing that there is "no veto on anyone, including former cabinet minister Fares Boueiz."