Bassil says having a president better than void, hails Aoun's speech
Several lawmakers, including Free Patriotic Movement leader Jebran Bassil opposed Thursday the election of army chief Joseph Aoun, and objected to what they saw as foreign interference.
In an interview with LBCI, Bassil said that Parliament had received directives from foreign countries, but that still having a president is better than void.
Newly elected president Aoun was widely seen as the preferred choice of the United States, as well as regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia. International pressure mounted ahead of the vote and U.S., Saudi and French envoys visited Beirut in the run-up.
Before the vote Thursday, Bassil said votes for Aoun must be considered spoiled because his election was unconstitutional as Lebanon's constitution does not allow presidential candidates who have held high office in the previous two years. He also said that the president is being imposed by foreign forces.
The FPM MPs later voted for "sovereignty and the constitution", as an objection to foreign interference and the unconstitutionality of electing Aoun.
"Aoun was elected by Parliament, and we will deal with him with positivity and respect," Bassil told LBCI.
"We support the subjects that he mentioned" in his presidential speech, Bassil added.
Aoun had vowed Thursday that the state would have "a monopoly" on bearing weapons after a devastating war this fall between Israel and Hezbollah.
"I pledge to call for discussing a comprehensive defense strategy... on the diplomatic, economic and military levels that will enable the Lebanese state -- I repeat, the Lebanese state -- to remove the Israeli occupation and deter its aggression," he said.
Source: Naharnet
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