General Aoun: Patriarch Sfeir Has Joined Lebanese Forces

 Source: almanar.com.lb, 16-09-2009

"He has joined the Lebanese Forces," the head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Michel Aoun said on Wednesday about Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir.
 
General Aoun, who was speaking to reporters following his bloc's weekly meeting, was reacting to comments made earlier during the day by the Maronite Patriarch who adopted the slogans of the LF.
 
"Perhaps there is a question mark on the appointment of those who were defeated in parliamentar) elections since their reappointment would be against the will of the people," Sfeir claimed from Bkirki. That was a clear indication at thwarting the reappointment of Free Patriotic Movement official Gebran Bassil as telecommunications minister.
 
According to the Free Patriotic Movement leader, Sfeir's comments were an indication that he had joined the Lebanese Forces of Samir Geagea. The General pointed to the similarities between the Patriarch's stances and those made by the Lebanese Forces MP Antoine Zahra, especially concerning Bassil's reappointment.
 
Aoun emphasized that there wasn't anymore a battle on the telecommunication portfolio. "We consider it a winning battle since it's already within our hands," he said.
 
Asked about the cabinet formation process following the reappointment of MP Saad Hariri as PM-Designate, Aoun urged everybody to wait for Hariri to start his consultations first. He stressed that the upcoming cabinet must fight corruption, safeguard the right of return and reject settling Palestinians in Lebanon.
 
"If our presence in the cabinet is not necessary, then let them form the government without us," Aoun concluded.