Mustaqbal Announces 'Full Support' to Geagea as LF Delegates Continue Presidential Tours

Al-Mustaqbal bloc announced on Monday its “full support” to the leader of the Lebanese Forces in his presidential bid, as LF delegates continued their visits to parties and parliamentary blocs over Samir Geagea's run for office.

“We announce our full support to Samir Geagea in his run for presidency,” al-Mustaqbal bloc MP Ahmed Fatfat stated after talks with LF delegates.

Fatfat added that Geagea's presidential program “responds to the needs of the Lebanese people, to their aspirations and to their longing for strengthening the state's sovereignty, and restoring its prestige and role.”

LF MP George Adwan praised al-Mustaqbal bloc's stance, considering it a “major step.”

He also assured that "all March 14 blocs are committed to attending the scheduled parliamentary session on Wednesday to elect a new president.”

“We will have a unified stance before Wednesday's parliamentary session,” he revealed.

Simultaneously, another LF delegation met with Prime Minister Tammam Salam in the Beirut neighborhood of Msaytbeh to hand him Geagea's presidential program.

MP Sethrida Geagea reiterated after the talks that March 14 will have one presidential candidate, noting that a positive atmosphere has prevailed so far in the envoys' meetings with local figures and parliamentary blocs.

Earlier in the day, MP Geagea handed Kataeb Party chief Amin Gemayel the presidential program of the LF leader, stressing also the unity of the March 14 alliance regarding the presidential polls.

She said after meeting Gemayel at the Kataeb's headquarters in Saifi in Beirut: “The March 14 alliance will be united in its stand over the elections.”

“The alliance will stand behind one candidate when it heads to the parliamentary session on Wednesday,” she told reporters.

Geagea described her meeting with Gemayel as positive, saying that the two sides highlighted the importance of the elections.

MP Geagea then met Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat, handing him a copy of the LF chief's presidential program.

Jumblat confirmed after the talks that he will attend Wednesday's parliamentary session, saying however that he will declare his stance on the polls on Tuesday.

OTV revealed later that the National Struggle Front will convene tomorrow at 5:30 pm to discuss the presidential elections.

Meanwhile, another LF delegation met on Monday afternoon with National Liberal Party leader MP Dory Chamoun and the Jamaa Islamiya.

"We agreed on the importance of holding the presidential elections on time,” LF MP Antoine Zahra said after meeting with Chamoun, remarking that the March 14 coalition agrees on Geagea's presidential program.

The two-member delegation, which included Geagea's adviser Wehbe Qatisha in addition to Zahra, then visited the headquarters of the Jamaa Islamiya in Beirut where it held talks with MP Imad al-Hout and the party's political bureau chief Wael Najm.

LF delegates also met with former premier Najib Miqati and they are scheduled to meet with Speaker Nabih Berri to hand him a copy of the presidential program.

The party's envoys had met with President Michel Suleiman, Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, and Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun for the same purpose.

Geagea is the only political leader to so far announce his nomination for the elections.

Parliament is scheduled to convene on Wednesday in order to hold the polls amid concerns that the needed quorum will not be met.

Commenting on this possibility, MP Geagea said: “All lawmakers are obligated to exercise their duties and attend the session.”

M.T./ S.D.B.

H.K./ Y.R.