Geagea: Hizbullah Will Lose Aoun as Ally if it Fails to Elect him as President

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea noted that Hizbullah is facing a “major test” regarding his recent endorsement of Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun as president, reported al-Arabiya television on Friday.

He told the station: “The party will lose its ally, Aoun, if it fails to vote for him as president.”

“Hizbullah's failure to endorse Aoun's nomination will have major repercussions,” he predicted, while revealing that he does not have direct contacts with the party.

“The ongoing presidential vacuum pushed us to nominate Aoun for president,” Geagea explained of the meeting that was held at Maarab on Monday with his long-time rival.

“I sought, behind closed doors, to include all possible guarantees in the Maarab meeting. I believe that the greatest guarantees however were broadcast to the whole world when the agreement was declared,” continued Geagea.

Asked if he can guarantee that Aoun will remain committed to the agreement, he replied: “Those who do not see issues from a flexible perspective will not be able to progress in life.”

Addressing his ties with Mustaqbal Movement leader MP Saad Hariri, he said: “I haven't held talks with him in a long time.”

“I spoke to him around the time he nominated Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh as president and then once after that,” he revealed.

“My ties with Hariri are not at their best due to the developments over the presidency. I will try my best to improve them,” Geagea stressed.

Hariri nominated Franjieh as president in late 2015 even though Geagea, his ally in the March 14 camp, was also a nominee.

This led to tensions between the Mustaqbal Movement and LF.

Franjieh declared in wake of the Maarab meeting that he was still running for the presidency.

The Democratic Gathering on Thursday stated that its candidate Henri Helou is also still in the running.

The next electoral session is scheduled for February 2.

M.T.

Y.R.