Franjieh Seen Gaining Grounds in Lebanon's Presidential Race
With Gen. Lahoud's camp reportedly beginning to despair about his chances for either a renewed or an extended term, Suleiman Franjieh seems to be making a vigorous thrust into the race as two senior cabinet ministers from north Lebanon declared for him as Lebanon's 12th post-independence president.
The declaration came from Public Works Minister Najib Mikati after a 15-minute meeting with Foreign Minister Jean Obeid at the Bustros Palace in Beirut Thursday, the local media reported on Friday.
"We have agreed to strengthen Minister Franjieh's chances to become the next president of Lebanon," Mikati was quoted as saying by the LBCI after the closed-doors meeting with Obeid, who made no statement on his own. Obeid, a northerner like Franjieh and Mikati has often been tipped as potential president for Lebanon.
Franjieh, a personal friend of Syrian President Bashar Assad and long Syria's closest Maronite ally in Lebanon, has not formally declared that he would stand in the autumn presidential election. But he often made it plain he would run if Syria won't support an extension for Lahoud.
An Nahar said Friday that Lahoud's camp was sending depression signals over the foundering extension bid, complaining about the widening opposition campaign against constitutional amendments that would keep the general in power beyond the November expiry of his current term.
The declaration came from Public Works Minister Najib Mikati after a 15-minute meeting with Foreign Minister Jean Obeid at the Bustros Palace in Beirut Thursday, the local media reported on Friday.
"We have agreed to strengthen Minister Franjieh's chances to become the next president of Lebanon," Mikati was quoted as saying by the LBCI after the closed-doors meeting with Obeid, who made no statement on his own. Obeid, a northerner like Franjieh and Mikati has often been tipped as potential president for Lebanon.
Franjieh, a personal friend of Syrian President Bashar Assad and long Syria's closest Maronite ally in Lebanon, has not formally declared that he would stand in the autumn presidential election. But he often made it plain he would run if Syria won't support an extension for Lahoud.
An Nahar said Friday that Lahoud's camp was sending depression signals over the foundering extension bid, complaining about the widening opposition campaign against constitutional amendments that would keep the general in power beyond the November expiry of his current term.
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