Ahmad El-Assaad Opposes Frangieh’s Presidential Choice/Hizbullah Still Committed to Aoun as Presidential Candidate/Saudi says it hopes Lebanese presidency filled soon

What’s Known is More Dangerous than the Unknown
By Ahmad El-Assaad* December 04, 2015
The option of the “unknown”, subject of much intimidation, might just be less dangerous for Lebanon, than entrusting the presidency to a person well known for his loyalty to Syria and his support to Hezbollah and its political orientation.
The option of the “unknown” might be better than premeditatedly, and consciously, throwing the country in the lap of the Syrian regime; which difficult internal situation would be an additional motive to hang on to Lebanon and its decision-making and power centers.
14 March’s decision to adopt Sleiman Frangieh’s candidacy is actually as if getting the Syrian regime to once again cross to Lebanon, via the bridge of “Jisr Al-Shughoor”.
Truth of the matter is, that giving such a gift to a decaying regime is exactly what Frangieh called reaching rock-bottom. There is no greater evil; this is worse than the most horrible thing that could be used for intimidation to promote the settlement.
No matter how many guarantees, pledges and comprehensive packages are talked about, they all remain insufficient, given the fact that the Syrian regime and its allies are the best at repudiating pledges, eluding guarantees, and poking holes in every package, draining them of all the contents.
What is more dangerous than the unknown, is not knowing the Syrian regime, its intents and greed, as well as its ability to divert every situation to its benefit. The fact that it is preoccupied with its internal issues is no reason for reassurance, because putting its grip over Lebanon might be the chance this regime is looking for, the breath of air it is yearning for, and, as Frangieh said, “the last chance” – not for Lebanon of course, but for Bashar Assad.
LOP General Chancellor.

Report: Hizbullah Still Committed to Aoun as Presidential Candidate
Naharnet/04 December/15/Hizbullah has not abandoned Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun as the presidential nominee of the March 8 alliance in spite of all the reports of the potential candidacy of Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Friday. It said that Hizbullah’s stance on Aoun “has not changed.” A delegation from the party had relayed this position to the MP when it offered its condolences to him over the death of his brother earlier this week. The delegation told Aoun: “We support you and stand by you.” “You are our nominee as long as your candidacy still stands,” added the delegation according to al-Joumhouria. Franjieh has emerged as a new unofficial presidential candidate as part of a greater political settlement aimed at resolving Lebanon’s political deadlock.The initiative first made the light in wake of a meeting held by Franjieh and Mustaqbal Movement leader MP Saad Hariri a few weeks ago. 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 rival March 8 and 14 camps over a compromise candidate have thwarted the polls.

Saudi says it hopes Lebanese presidency filled soon
By Reuters, Beirut Thursday, 3 December 2015/Saudi Arabia acks a Lebanese proposal that would result in Suleiman Franjieh becoming president of Lebanon after an 18-month presidential vacuum, and hopes it will happen soon, the Saudi ambassador to Lebanon said on Thursday. “The initiative is a Lebanese one, not a Saudi one, and we bless it and we encourage a result from the dialogue underway among the Christian leaders,” Ali Awad Asiri said in a televised news conference. Asked whether Saudi Arabia could support Franjieh, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the Shiite group Hezbollah, Asiri said that as long as the candidate was Lebanese and picked by Lebanese, he would have Saudi blessing regardless of affiliation.