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Ray of hope in Lebanon

DUBAI: Uncertainty continued to grip Lebanon over its presidential elections despite the top military commander emerging as a possible consensus candidate.

The anti-Syrian March 14 forces, which emerged after the assassination of the former Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri, have agreed to a constitutional amendment that would allow Army commander General Michel Suleiman to run for President.

The rival March 8 forces, led by Hizbollah and its ally, the Amal movement, has, so far, not opposed the General’s name.

Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament and Amal movement leader, Nabih Berri said he was ready for a constitutional amendment, provided there was a consensus on General Suleiman’s name. “I’m staying in the waiting room until they [feuding camps] come to an agreement; and I will accept any consensus option adopted by both sides,” Mr. Berri told As Safir daily on Thursday.

The crisis over the Lebanese presidency emerged after a deeply divided Parliament failed to elect a President. Lebanon is without a President after the outgoing President, Emile Lahoud’s term expired last week. With Lebanese politics deeply polarised along pro and anti-Syria lines, General Suleiman is seen as a neutral figure. He is also recognised as strong enough to resist pressure from either camp.

However, Michel Aoun, leader of the opposition, and Hizbollah ally has, so far, not conceded to the candidature. According to the Lebanese daily Al Nahar, General Aoun is himself a presidential hopeful.

The former Energy Minister and Hizbollah representative, Mohammed Fneish, was quoted as saying his group, in principle, did not oppose the General’s name, provided General Aoun conceded to his candidature.

“[General] Aoun is the starting point to any consensus. The question here is whether this move is a manoeuvre on the part of the ruling faction to create a rift between us [Hizbollah] and [Aoun] or is it a serious offer by the ruling faction and a clear position?” Mr. Fneish observed.

He added that if General Suleiman is considered a serious candidate by the March 14 forces, then his candidacy should first be discussed with General Aoun and the other opposition parties.

Analysts point out that arriving at a consensus is particularly difficult in Lebanon because the politics is organised along religious and ethnic lines. Lebanon has a mixed population of Shias, Sunnis, Christian and Druze communities, which have clashed for several years during the days of the Lebanese civil war.

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