By NNN-KUNA
Beirut : Lebanese Minister of Communications Marwan Hamada said here Lebanese majority would speed up the election of army chief Michel Suleiman as president of Lebanon next week.
In TV remarks on Friday, the minister said the ruling majority camp, to which he belongs, “considered that there was a commitment imposed on it Thursday by sweeping Lebanese masses”, referring to a mass rally at the Martyrs’ Square on Thursday to mark the third anniversary of the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.
He said, “Following the Thursday rally, everyone has a new responsibility to bear. As of now, we will not condone such a blackmailing.”
“Next week will see insistence on and speeding-up of electing the president of the republic, together with moving governmental action and giving a new life to the parliament which some wanted to keep dead until the fall of 2009,” he said.
He voiced the majority camp’s willingness to elect Suleiman by a narrow majority, hoping that more members of parliament could back up the election of the army chief.
For his part, Samir Gaegae, chief of the executive body of the Lebanese Forces, said the majority for the time being was anticipating the outcomes of the Arab initiative aiming to resolve the Lebanese deadlock.
As a key member of the majority, Gaegae said, “If the Arab initiative fails, we will come together to reflect on the other way that could lead to the election of a president of the republic.”
Lebanon has been without a president since 23 November due to splits and divisions between the ruling majority and opposition. A parliamentary vote to elect a new leader was delayed for a 14th time last week.
Rival Lebanese factions have agreed in principle to elect army chief Gen Suleiman, but have repeatedly disagreed over constitutional details and the make-up of the cabinet.