Report: Major Powers Locked in Struggle for Presidential Polls Influence
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The major powers are locked in a race for influence in Lebanon's presidential elections as Michel Suleiman's six-year term nears its end, As Safir newspaper reported on Tuesday.
The daily said that the United States is backing elections to choose a new president and has sent an envoy who has a specific mission to follow up the polls.
But the report said that France, which is also expected to send envoys to Beirut, believes the current situation in Lebanon and the region is not encouraging, and that elections could not be held given the difficulty to reach an understanding between the Western countries and regional and local parties on a single candidate.
Paris prefers Suleiman's term, which expires in May, be extended, according to As Safir.
Its stance is also backed by Saudi Arabia, the daily said.
It quoted however a U.S. diplomat as saying that Washington prefers the election of a new president even if he was a personality not allied with it.
Among the names making the rounds are Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun and Marada movement chief Suleiman Franjieh, who are both members of the Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance.
Other names include the March 14 camp's Phalange party chief and ex-President Amin Gemayel, and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea.
The presidential elections could be a topic of discussion between U.S. President Barack Obama and Saudi King Abdullah in Riyadh over the weekend, As Safir said.
11 March 2014, 08:19
99
The American administration are backing Aoun for the Presidency and recommending the Syrian rebels sit down with the terror party and negotiate Syria's future. Absolute zero credibility..
11 March 2014, 08:35
88
How is it that you came to this conclusion? That the Americans back Aoun for presidency...
11 March 2014, 08:43
89
And also, at the end of the day, it would take one command from DC to Riyadh to initiate such a sit down between rebels and the "terror party". It is that simple, so if it were true, it would have happened or it would happen as soon as they desire it to happen. Basically, the US, through Riyadh, controls these rebel parties in Syria.
11 March 2014, 08:54
98
Ambassador Ford mentioned just the other day the rebels should negotiate with HA. What popeye is saying has merit.
11 March 2014, 09:39
98
Thanks for deleting my post! I would like to know what was wrong with it?! Here it is again:
Ambassador Ford a few days ago called on the Syrian rebels to negotiate with HA. Popeye's comments have merit.
11 March 2014, 10:52
77
Why don't the americans instead of giving advise negotiate themselves with the Colombian Drug Cartel...
11 March 2014, 13:32
107
There's simply no way the opposition can win, and no way military force can avoid bringing islamist terrorists/qaida/nusra/isis/IF/etc to power. Dialog always brings more fruition and stability than military strategy in the long run, and with obama now favoring stability and democracy than kingships and dictatorships, is using his post as the president of the usa to do something productive instead of bombing the place to smithereens. You should be happy if you live in lebanon for this.
11 March 2014, 13:15
710
He was part of the nuns and 150 families in Mazzi release convoy, will return shortly telling you that the kid and ladies in the picture were takfiris foreign fighters from qatar and also the nun was thanking al Nusra because they were under the Kalashnikov, he will also tell you that Assad should be the one to thank and not Gen Abbas or qatar
11 March 2014, 10:22
117
If France and Saudi Arabia want to keep Suleiman, then that can't be good for Lebanon.
Lebanon needs a pro-Lebanese - not a pro-Saudi - president.
11 March 2014, 13:14
11
If Iran & Syria don't want to keep Suleiman, then that can't be good for Lebanon.
Lebanon still needs a pro-Lebanese-not a pro-Irani-president.
11 March 2014, 11:24
27
I think I mentionned Arab spring ..
but anyway ur right fox
arab spring and democracy on planet earth
11 March 2014, 13:24
97
This article made me queezy, why can't the lebanese make their own decisions instead of having 'powers' decide the fate of our country and 4million citizens?! Sickening.
11 March 2014, 13:55
99
why are you posting as a guest? Afraid to reveal your true identity...
11 March 2014, 14:18
99
Shove it popeye, I've had two accounts banned already. At least posting as guest won't get your post deleted so it's better this way.
11 March 2014, 17:37
65
But Popeye and Jerry, aren't we all appearing under aliases? Come now ya man.
11 March 2014, 13:36
108
No, just no.
Only NEW people can rescue lebanonz havn't the typical monsters you've had to deal with for 40 or so years done enough damage? I swear the cult and culture of self-flagellation is so entrenched in the lebanese that they are oblivious to it much to their own demise.
11 March 2014, 14:16
67
If it's those same powers saying they will decide the country's fate anyway, what's the point of calling people traitors? They're not even hiding it anymore.
Really though, YOU are the traitors for accepting this.
11 March 2014, 16:56
102
So far, I know one thing, old man Aoun will never see the presidency, and Hezbollah will be deprived of its most reliable ready-made-rubber-stamp. It is now getting more and more probable that President Suleiman will see his term extended. In the light of a complete breakup of our system, it will be very wise indeed to keep the one decent man to head this nation, for without him, the nation will be like a ship sailing blind in the dead of night.
