Opposition calls for document of understandings to hasten election Aoun: We Have Written Doc. for Dialogue with Major
Opposition calls for 'document of understandings' to hasten election
Aoun: We Have Written Doc. for Dialogue with Majority
Sources: Agencies, 14-12-2007
BEIRUT: Lebanon's opposition called on Thursday for a "document of understandings" to be negotiated with the ruling coalition in order to hasten the process of amending the Constitution and facilitate the election of a new president before the end of the year.
Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun said Thursday that a "veiled" document, which would constitute the basis for a political understanding on several contentious issues, is currently being "circulated" among rival parties.
Aoun said the opposition has authorized him to negotiate with the majority for the purpose of reaching a settlement to the political impasse that has hindered the election of a new president.
"I am ready to talk to everyone," Aoun told reporters at his home in Rabieh. He added that reaching an understanding with the majority before forming a new government is vital.
"I will not talk about the dialogue document. We will disclose it during negotiations," Aoun said. "Last time we uncovered the details of our [proposal] and they told us this is not the way things are done, so this time we have kept the document veiled."
Aoun said blame for the deteriorating economic and security situation must no longer be laid at the opposition's doorstep. He added that the government is partly responsible for the string of political assassinations in Lebanon, as it has not identified any of the perpetrators.
"We are not doubting the capability of the security establishment in the country," Aoun said, but added that "the government is not far removed from these crimes, as it has yet to uncover a single strand [of evidence] from the 18 assassinations and assassination attempts that have shaken Lebanon."
Aoun renewed his accusation to Fouad Saniora's government and his minister of interior of failing to protect Lebanese citizens after more than 20 assassination, assassination attempts and bombings took place in the past two years.
The former army general questioned the link between the assassination of Hajj and the "expectation" of the UN Security Council, a day earlier, the political exploitation of the assassination by the ruling bloc and the call for a speedy presidential election.
"There has been an escalation in the political rhetoric by the loyalty bloc accompanied with a positive response by the UN Security Council. This current government is not far from these killings, if not an accomplice. It is unacceptable that they make political demands every time an assassination takes place instead of us holding them accountable. The trend of accusing the opposition of having a hand in such crimes and the deterioration of the economic situation has to stop. The authority is involved in these crimes because it has not yet uncovered the truth behind the 18 crimes that shook the country, especially that most crimes can be described as protected crimes," General Aoun said.
The Christian opposition leader expressed hope that the assassination of Hajj would not open the door for other incidents.
Aoun said reaching an understanding with the "majority" is necessary prior to forming a new cabinet. "The opposition assigned me to have dialogue with the majority based on a written document to find a solution to the persisting crisis. I am open to dialogue with whoever wants to negotiate with me," he said.
"I will not reveal the context of the document, not before negotiations begin. We have to know who will negotiate with us. Speaker Nabih Berri has proposed that dialogue over the presidential question be made with me," Aoun said.
The General criticized Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir, without naming him, in response to accusations the latter made to "some Lebanese groups" of being subject to Syria and Iran. He revealed that when French President Nicholas Sarkozy contacted him, he said that he guarantees any understanding to solve the political problem, "but this has gone with the wind."
Aoun met Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday to discuss the broad outlines of a draft political settlement with the March 14 alliance, the daily Al-Akhbar reported Thursday. Berri agreed with Aoun on the need for a document of understandings attached to a "document of guarantees from major powers." The speaker also agreed to intensify contacts with France, the paper said.
Berri urged French officials to return with haste to Lebanon and lead negotiations that would culminate in a document of understandings, the paper said. Such a document would hasten the process of amending the Constitutional and electing Lebanese Armed Forces commander General Michel Sul-eiman to the presidency before the end of the year, it said.
Al-Akhbar also said that recent French and Saudi consultations are aimed at getting a clear answer from parliamentary majority leader MP Saad Hariri on who the next prime minister would be. The opposition refuses to accept any premier from Hariri's Future Movement. In the event France gets a response from Hariri that someone other than the Future Movement leader will be chosen for the post, French efforts will quickly intensify, the paper said.
Aoun: We Have Written Doc. for Dialogue with Majority
Sources: Agencies, 14-12-2007
BEIRUT: Lebanon's opposition called on Thursday for a "document of understandings" to be negotiated with the ruling coalition in order to hasten the process of amending the Constitution and facilitate the election of a new president before the end of the year.
Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun said Thursday that a "veiled" document, which would constitute the basis for a political understanding on several contentious issues, is currently being "circulated" among rival parties.
Aoun said the opposition has authorized him to negotiate with the majority for the purpose of reaching a settlement to the political impasse that has hindered the election of a new president.
"I am ready to talk to everyone," Aoun told reporters at his home in Rabieh. He added that reaching an understanding with the majority before forming a new government is vital.
"I will not talk about the dialogue document. We will disclose it during negotiations," Aoun said. "Last time we uncovered the details of our [proposal] and they told us this is not the way things are done, so this time we have kept the document veiled."
Aoun said blame for the deteriorating economic and security situation must no longer be laid at the opposition's doorstep. He added that the government is partly responsible for the string of political assassinations in Lebanon, as it has not identified any of the perpetrators.
"We are not doubting the capability of the security establishment in the country," Aoun said, but added that "the government is not far removed from these crimes, as it has yet to uncover a single strand [of evidence] from the 18 assassinations and assassination attempts that have shaken Lebanon."
Aoun renewed his accusation to Fouad Saniora's government and his minister of interior of failing to protect Lebanese citizens after more than 20 assassination, assassination attempts and bombings took place in the past two years.
The former army general questioned the link between the assassination of Hajj and the "expectation" of the UN Security Council, a day earlier, the political exploitation of the assassination by the ruling bloc and the call for a speedy presidential election.
"There has been an escalation in the political rhetoric by the loyalty bloc accompanied with a positive response by the UN Security Council. This current government is not far from these killings, if not an accomplice. It is unacceptable that they make political demands every time an assassination takes place instead of us holding them accountable. The trend of accusing the opposition of having a hand in such crimes and the deterioration of the economic situation has to stop. The authority is involved in these crimes because it has not yet uncovered the truth behind the 18 crimes that shook the country, especially that most crimes can be described as protected crimes," General Aoun said.
The Christian opposition leader expressed hope that the assassination of Hajj would not open the door for other incidents.
Aoun said reaching an understanding with the "majority" is necessary prior to forming a new cabinet. "The opposition assigned me to have dialogue with the majority based on a written document to find a solution to the persisting crisis. I am open to dialogue with whoever wants to negotiate with me," he said.
"I will not reveal the context of the document, not before negotiations begin. We have to know who will negotiate with us. Speaker Nabih Berri has proposed that dialogue over the presidential question be made with me," Aoun said.
The General criticized Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir, without naming him, in response to accusations the latter made to "some Lebanese groups" of being subject to Syria and Iran. He revealed that when French President Nicholas Sarkozy contacted him, he said that he guarantees any understanding to solve the political problem, "but this has gone with the wind."
Aoun met Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday to discuss the broad outlines of a draft political settlement with the March 14 alliance, the daily Al-Akhbar reported Thursday. Berri agreed with Aoun on the need for a document of understandings attached to a "document of guarantees from major powers." The speaker also agreed to intensify contacts with France, the paper said.
Berri urged French officials to return with haste to Lebanon and lead negotiations that would culminate in a document of understandings, the paper said. Such a document would hasten the process of amending the Constitutional and electing Lebanese Armed Forces commander General Michel Sul-eiman to the presidency before the end of the year, it said.
Al-Akhbar also said that recent French and Saudi consultations are aimed at getting a clear answer from parliamentary majority leader MP Saad Hariri on who the next prime minister would be. The opposition refuses to accept any premier from Hariri's Future Movement. In the event France gets a response from Hariri that someone other than the Future Movement leader will be chosen for the post, French efforts will quickly intensify, the paper said.
