Ban Urges an End to Lebanon’s Presidential Vacuum/Hollande Telephones Franjieh/Maronite Bishops wWelcome Frangieh’s Initiative/Sami Gemayel Asks Franjieh to Meet Kataeb ‘Halfway’ as Bassil Says FPM Holds Onto Its ‘Freedom in Choosing President’

Report: Ban Urges an End to Presidential Vacuum
Naharnet/04 December/15/U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon stated that it is crucial for the Lebanese to end the 18-month vacuum at the top state post voicing hopes that the current dialogue in that regard reaches fruition, An Nahar daily said on Friday .“The presidential post has been vacant for 18 months now. I knew about the dialogue taking place in that regard. I sincerely hope that the political situation is normalized as soon as possible, but the most important thing is to encourage reconciliation,” said Ban in an interview to the daily. On the rapprochement between political figures to elect a president and the settlement that highlighted the nomination of Marada leader MP Suleiman Franjieh, he said: “I have known of a dialogue in that regard but first and foremost they (the political figures) should end the political vacuum. They have not been able to elect a president.” 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 al-Mustaqbal movement chief Saad Hariri a few weeks ago. His possible nomination drew the ire of Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea and MP Michel Aoun, who are both nominated for the post. 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.

Hollande Telephones Franjieh one Day after Meeting Hariri
Naharnet/04 December/15/Marada leader MP Suleiman Franjieh received a telephone call on Friday from French President Francois Hollande in light of the political settlement that saw a possible nomination of the lawmaker for the post of the presidency. The phone call lasted for almost fifteen minutes, said LBCI. It comes a day after a meeting between al-Mustaqbal movement chief Saad Hariri and Hollande took place in the French capital. After the Paris meeting the French president stressed the necessity to end the vaccum in Lebanon, saying: “It is crucial that the presidential crisis ends.” There has been a flurry of political talks in the country that followed a Paris meeting between Franjieh and Hariri. The meeting sparked intense speculation that the two leaders agreed to the nomination of the Marada chief for the presidency. Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of a successor. Ongoing disputes between the rival March 8 and 14 camps over a compromise candidate have thwarted the polls.

Maronite Bishops: Election of President Must be Product of Thorough Discussions
Naharnet/04 December/15/The Maronite Bishops Council condemned on Friday the ongoing vacuum in the presidency, noting however that “serious efforts” have been launched to resolve the issue. It said after its monthly meeting: “The deadlock should be resolved through thorough discussions and consultations due to the importance of the presidential post.” Recent efforts have been kicked off to end the vacuum, amid the emergence of Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh as a new presidential candidate. After the bishops’ meeting, Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi remarked: “We support the election of a president as soon as possible to preserve our dignity.” Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of a successor. Ongoing disputes between the rival March 8 and 14 camps over a compromise candidate have thwarted the polls. The Maronite Bishops Council also hailed the release of the servicemen who were held hostage by the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Nusra Front. “We thank all who helped ensure their safe return,” they stated, while hoping that the remaining hostages, held by the Islamic State, will also be freed. The servicemen were kidnapped in the wake of clashes between the army and al-Nusra Front and IS in the northeastern border town of Arsal in August 2014. All 16 of the hostages held by al-Nusra Front were released on Tuesday. Nine hostages still remain and they are held by the IS.

Sami Gemayel Asks Franjieh to Meet Kataeb ‘Halfway’ as Bassil Says FPM Holds Onto Its ‘Freedom in Choosing President’
Naharnet/04 December/15/A meeting was held Friday in Bkirki between Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil and Kataeb Party leader MP Sami Gemayel. Gemayel had first arrived in Bkirki along with Kataeb’s former minister Salim al-Sayegh. Bassil joined the talks around an hour later. It was not immediately clear if the tripartite meeting was prearranged. “Our stance has been clear from the very beginning. We do not base our national policies on personal ties or sentiments and we do not have complexes towards any figure,” Gemayel said after leaving the meeting. “We have national constants that we cannot renounce,” he emphasized. “Let’s be clear: nothing can force the Kataeb Party to vote against its historic beliefs and constants and the candidate who wants to win Kataeb’s support must meet us halfway,” Gemayel added. He noted that contacts are underway with Franjieh to explore if a common ground can be reached. “We won’t elect any candidate whose rhetoric only represents a part of the Lebanese. No one can oblige Kataeb to endorse a candidate whose rhetoric contradicts with its stances. Accordingly, we will put aside our personal ties with Franjieh and his previous rhetoric,” Gemayel went on to say. He revealed that Kataeb officials “are meeting once every two days with Franjieh’s team to explore the possibility of securing the election of a president.” “It is not the time for selfishness and it is unacceptable to build policies on personal political ties and ambitions. It is a time for thinking about Lebanon and the presidency in order to give positive signals,” Gemayel said. “We will support any national or Christian consensus and we call on Bkirki to play its full role in this regard,” he added. In a terse statement, Bassil for his part said that the FPM “holds onto its freedom in choosing a president and an electoral law.” “We need to fill the country’s top post with a figure who represents Christians and the Lebanese,” he said. “We are dealing with this stage with deep caution,” he added. The talks follow an overnight meeting in Bkirki between al-Rahi and Franjieh. Franjieh’s chances to reach the Baabda Palace have recently made a dramatic surge in the wake of a Paris meeting between him and al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri. Hariri has also met in the French capital with Gemayel and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat. The Paris meetings and the flurry of political talks in Lebanon have sparked intense speculation that Franjieh is on the verge of becoming the country’s new president.