The leader of the Progressive Socialist Party Walid Joumblatt. (Credit: AFP file)
BEIRUT — Recent suggestions to "barter" over who will fill the posts of president and prime minister amid Lebanon's deadlock are "heresy," Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader Walid Joumblatt criticized in an interview published Tuesday by the daily newspaper Al-Akhbar.
This idea, which is allegedly defended by France, aims to break the political deadlock in Lebanon, though is categorically rejected by Saudi Arabia, thus suggesting a dispute between Riyadh and Paris on the presidential issue.
The French position has also been criticized in political circles opposed to the Hezbollah camp.
Speaking with Al-Akhbar, Joumblatt renewed criticism of the candidacies of Marada Movement head Sleiman Frangieh and independent Zgharta MP Michel Moawad. Hezbollah and Amal support Frangieh for president, while their opponents have supported Moawad.
Joumblatt also mentioned the name of the army commander Joseph Aoun, considered an unofficial candidate for the presidency, saying that he doesn't know if his name remains on the table for France, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
'Big dysfunction'
According to L'Orient-Le Jour's political columnist Mounir Rabih, France and Saudi Arabia met March 17 over a disagreement about the presidential election in Lebanon, which has been stalled for months. The talks reportedly came up against Paris' commitment to the idea of "bartering" over who would become president and who would take the prime minister's post, a formula that Riyadh categorically rejects.
This swap compromise would consist of a president close to Hezbollah, and who could therefore be Sleiman Frangieh, and a prime minister close to the opposition.
"We need a harmonious team. Bartering between a president from one camp and a prime minister from another camp is heresy," Joumblatt said.
"If such a barter is put in place, it will include everything: the post of the governor of the Banque du Liban will be taken by its Shiite deputy governor, just as a Christian ended up at the General Security," the PSP leader continued, referring to the takeover of Abbas Ibrahim's post by Elias Baissari, acting head of General Security since March.
"This creates a big dysfunction and undermines the Taif Agreement unless a fair formula is created in the rotation of the first category professions. If that is the case, I have no problem," Joumblatt added.
Asked about a possible Franco-Saudi dispute over addressing the presidential deadlock, Joumblatt simply said: "That's what I read in the press."
Learning from the Arab-Iranian agreement
Joumblatt was also asked about the recent warming of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which he called a Saudi "masterstroke."
Making the link with the stalled Lebanese situation, he said: "The great Lebanese leaders must understand these changes and move towards an acceptable arrangement at least, and not rely on stubbornness and the [presidential] vacancy," which started at the end of Michel Aoun's mandate on Oct. 31. "This vacancy only leads to division."
"I think that Sleiman Frangieh is a challenging candidate, as is Michel Moawad. It is time to move towards a compromise," he insisted, corroborating what he told L'Orient-Le Jour recently.
"We have supported Moawad during 11 electoral sessions. We have not failed him. But we have to compromise."
'Stabbing Hezbollah'
Also speaking on the possible candidacy of army chief Joseph Aoun for president, Joumblatt said that "he has been an option for France, Saudi Arabia and Qatar for months. But I do not know if there is anything new after the latest developments."
Affirming that he prefers in absolute terms a candidate from the economic circles like Jihad Azour, former minister and IMF Middle East director, Joumblatt also commented on whether Hezbollah's concerns should be taken into account in the presidential election: "Nobody can stab the Resistance," he said.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has repeatedly called for the election of a president "who does not stab the Resistance in the back," a term used by the party to describe itself.
