Ghattas Khoury to Al-Manar: Some names in March 14 list were Parachuted in

Source: Al-Manar TV, 20-4-2009

Former MP Ghattas Khoury said on Monday that he was still running for the forthcoming parliamentary elections as an independent after he found no place in the March 14 electoral list in his Shouf district, expressing hope that the people of Shouf would give him their confidence.

Speaking to Al-Manar, Khoury criticized the "game of alliances" that removed his name from the March 14 list in the district for the interest of some "super-candidacies."

The former MP stressed that he was running for the forthcoming election upon the Shouf residents' will. "The people of Shouf want me to continue the battle until the end," he emphasized, noting that some names in the March 14 list were "brought down" given that they have never held contacts with the region's residents.

Khoury emphasized that his conflict with the March 14 forces was mainly focused on the management of the electoral process. He said that he also differs with the Christian blocs within the March 14 alliance because "they have abolished the role that has always been assumed by the independents within the March 14 bloc."

Meanwhile, the former MP stressed that he was still in contact with the head of the Future movement MP Saad Hariri. Khoury noted that he was convinced with Hariri's ideas. "I only disagree with him in his way of managing the elections because he's giving the absolute priority for Christian blocs within the March 14 bloc at the expense of independents," he concluded.