By NNN-KUNA
Beirut : The Lebanese government on Friday reiterated its support for the Arab initiative calling to give priority to the election of the Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as president of the republic.
Minister of State for Administrative Development Affairs Jean Augaspian in a statement to reporters that the meeting discussed the visit of Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa to Beirut to re-launch the Arab initiative and to allow for speeding up the process of electing a president before next February 11.
He stressed the government’s adherence to Arab initiative “as it is” and as Moussa had announced after the end of the meetings of foreign ministers in Cairo”.
“We are already awaiting the re-launch of this initiative with the same formula”, he added.
regarding the bloody events in Al-Shyah area last Sunday, the minister said that the government emphasized the need to avoid such incidents and to refrain from persistent escalation of tension.
He reiterated that Lebanon cannot be strong without consolidation of efforts of all citizens.
Augaspian renewed the government’s support of the Lebanese Army, saying: The army is for all Lebanese and I am confident that it is coherent and strong”.