Report: Russian Ambassador Relays Moscow's Support for Franjieh's Election as President

Russia is backing the election of Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh as president, reported al-Liwaa newspaper on Saturday.

Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin relayed this stance to the lawmaker, revealed a diplomatic source.

This position consequently led Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun to cancel a scheduled trip to Russia.

Aoun is also a presidential nominee.

Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014 without the election of a successor.

Ongoing disputes between the March 8 and 14 camps have thwarted the polls.

Earlier this year, Hizbullah announced that it would boycott electoral sessions unless it has guarantees that its candidate Aoun will be elected president.

Al-Liwaa revealed that Franjieh had recently telephoned Mustaqbal Movement leader MP Saad Hariri to thank him for his recent political stands.

Hariri had nominated Franjieh as president in an effort to end the presidential impasse.

Meanwhile, Speaker Nabih Berri has been holding contacts with Hizbullah to persuade it to attend the next electoral session, which is set for March 23.