Nassib Lahoud declared his willingness to run for the presidency

BEIRUT: While most March 14 ministers have decided to attend the Cabinet session on Wednesday, despite the presence of President Emile Lahoud, the Forces have now begun to openly discuss who the next president will be. These developments occurred as the League of Maronite Bishops is expected to deliver a strong statement regarding the presidency on Wednesday.

Following a meeting with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, Democratic Renewal Movement leader and former MP Nassib Lahoud declared his willingness to run for the presidency, "if the March 14 Forces support my candidacy; otherwise I will support the candidate they choose."

However, stressing that he had not put his name forward as a candidate, Lahoud said he had discussed reaching a consensus over the presidency with Geagea.

Lahoud said that replacing the sitting president with a candidate who benefits from the people's trust and will carry out a reform movement would be a positive political step.

Earlier in the day, Geagea welcomed a reconciliatory statement from former Minister Suleiman Franjieh and called for a " Christian dialogue strategy."

Geagea further said that he would hold a dialogue with Franjieh, without giving details to whether this meeting would be orchestrated by Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir. 

However, the LF continued to refuse to attend any Cabinet sessions headed by President Lahoud, while the other members of the March 14 Forces said they would attend Wednesday's session, scheduled to be held at the Economic and Social Council in Downtown Beirut.

Geagea said that his party was trying to convince its allies to boycott the session, as "the issue of the presidency has to be resolved."

Tourism Minister Joe Sarkis, the LF's only Cabinet member, said he would abide by his party's decision, should Lahoud decide to preside over the session.

In an interview with Voice of Lebanon radio , Sarkis said Lahoud's presence at the session would have a "negative effect on the Cabinet's performance."

However, Social Affairs Minister Nayla Mouawad told reporters that the March 14 ministers will be attending the Cabinet session because they felt the obligation to "guarantee the interests of the people and assume their responsibilities in the country."

Mouawad insisted that, based on the Constitution, Cabinet sessions should be held in a location proper to the Cabinet and not in Baabda. "We consider that the presidency seat in Baabda is vacant," she said, stressing that this was Sfeir's stance.

Democratic Gathering MP Wael Bou Faour announced on local television station LBC on Tuesday that his parliamentary bloc's ministers ( Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamade and Information Minister Ghazi Aridi) will attend the Cabinet session, even if the president is going to be present.

"(Lahoud) cannot take the Cabinet hostage," Bou Faour said, adding, "Things will be said in all honesty at the Cabinet."

Asked why the LF was breaking formation with the March 14 Forces over Cabinet sessions, MP Antoine Zahra said, "Coordination was continuous among all the March 14 Forces, but we are not one party to adopt the same means of expression."

Meanwhile, presidential sources confirmed to The Daily Star that President Lahoud will be heading Wednesday's session. The sources added that the army , Internal Security Forces and the Presidential Guards will all be tasked with guaranteeing security for the meeting.

Ministerial sources said it was expected that majority ministers would blast Lahoud during the Cabinet session for his attack on the March 14 Forces in Lebanese French-language daily L'Orient le Jour and for his criticism of French President Jacques Chirac.

The sources added that Wednesday's Cabinet session will focus on the parliamentary dialogue which will start on Thursday and, mainly, on the representation of the Orthodox community in that dialogue.

The March 14 Forces ministers had refused to attend a Cabinet session in Baabda Presidential Palace last week.

source: The Daily Star