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LEBANESE PRESIDENCY

'Several errors': FPM distances itself from Geagea's claims it supports Azour

'Several errors': FPM distances itself from Geagea's claims it supports Azour

The head of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea. (Courtesy of the LF website)

BEIRUT — Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea claimed in an interview with the daily newspaper An-Nahar that the leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, Gebran Bassil, had decided to back former Finance Minister and current International Monetary Fund (IMF) official Jihad Azour in Lebanon's presidential election. In making the claim, Geagea cited reports reaching him from opposition circles. However, sources close to the FPM, quoted by the party's media outlet Tayyar.org, distanced themselves from Geagea's remarks, saying they included "several errors."

In the interview, published on Saturday, Geagea said that opposition circles believe that "Gebran Bassil supports Jihad Azour's candidacy" for the presidency. "This is still unclear because of some confusion within FPM," Geagea added.

Last weekend, FPM MP for Baabda Alain Aoun asserted that an agreement with opponents of the Hezbollah camp was only possible around a figure from the "Strong Lebanon" group, composed mainly of FPM MPs, noting that contacts between the FPM and the opposition had led nowhere, and that the Jihad Azour page "had been turned.’’

Earlier in the week, the FPM's political bureau gave assurances that the party was "continuing its contacts with the opposition without going back on the agreements already reached in order to find a candidate who would not provoke anyone."

Press reports previously indicated an agreement within the LF to endorse the candidacy of Azour, whose name was proposed among others as a figure who could be the subject of an agreement among those who oppose the potential presidency of Sleiman Frangieh, including the FPM. People within FPM circles have recently indicated that the party is not completely blocking the path to Frangieh, the official candidate of the Amal Movement and Hezbollah, becoming president.

Presidential deadlock resolved?

"After last week's negotiations, Gebran Bassil decided in the last few hours [on Thursday night] to support Jihad Azour's candidacy," Geagea said in his interview, adding, however, that he is "waiting to see Gebran Bassil vote in Parliament in favor of Azour to make sure the story is serious."

"If it is true, the LF parliamentary group will meet and discuss it to see what it can do for the country. We can't make a final decision until we're sure of the data, and so far there's nothing certain," added Geagea.

Geagea also stressed that "if Gebran Bassil really does support Jihad Azour's candidacy, the presidential [impasse] will be practically resolved, pending the setting of an electoral session." The LF leader added: "If the information from opposition circles is not true, when the moumanaa camp is holding on to its candidate and Gebran Bassil is undecided about the presidential election, how can we ensure a small majority to elect a head of state? So we'll remain in a state of vacancy."

Reacting to these statements, sources close to the FPM, quoted by the Tayyar website, said that "Geagea's remarks include several errors and erroneous facts that he knows more about than others."

"A clarification or rectification will be made when necessary," they added.

BEIRUT — Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea claimed in an interview with the daily newspaper An-Nahar that the leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, Gebran Bassil, had decided to back former Finance Minister and current International Monetary Fund (IMF) official Jihad Azour in Lebanon's presidential election. In making the claim, Geagea cited reports reaching him from opposition...