BEIRUT: Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri is poised to return to the premiership this week after having secured the support of most of the country’s major blocs, including his Future Movement, the Free Patriotic Movement, the Lebanese Forces, MP Walid Jumblatt’s bloc, in addition to a number of independent lawmakers.
Meanwhile, Saudi King Salman Bin Abdel Aziz spoke by phone with President Michel Aoun Tuesday night to congratulate him on his election as head of state, wishing him good luck and success in his new national responsibilities, in the kingdom’s clearest support of Aoun’s election.
Salman stressed to Aoun the kingdom’s “keenness on national unity among the Lebanese and on brotherly relations between the two sisterly countries,” according to a statement released by Baabda Palace’s media office.
Thanking the Saudi king, Aoun said: “We appreciate your keenness on encouraging the Lebanese for meeting together and unity.” The newly elected president hoped that Saudi Arabia would continue to support Lebanon in various fields.
Aoun also called on the U.S. to keep providing the Lebanese Army with military aid to help it bolster security and stability in the country facing threats from militant Islamic groups holed up along Lebanon’s northeastern border with Syria.
Aoun’s call came during a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who also called the founder of the Free Patriotic Movement Tuesday night to congratulate him on his election as Lebanon’s president. Kerry urged a quick formation of a new government in Lebanon following Aoun’s election to the presidency.
Kerry affirmed “the United States’ stand beside Lebanon’s and its commitment to support the Lebanese Army in confronting terrorism and its attempts to strengthen stability,” according to a statement released by Baabda Palace’s media office. He also told Aoun that the U.S. and “the international community are looking forward to the formation of a new government as soon as possible,” the statement said.
Thanking Kerry, Aoun underlined the “importance of the U.S. keeping its military assistance to the Lebanese Army which is working to bolster security and stability in the country.”
The U.S. has provided Lebanon with more than $1.4 billion in military aid since 2005 following Syria’s withdrawal from the country.
Army commander Gen. Jean Kahwagi was among the first visitors to meet Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda. Kahwagi later signed a memorandum appointing Brig. Gen. Salim Feghali as the head of the Presidential Guard. Feghali is set to begin his job on Nov. 7.
Earlier in the day, Kerry called Hariri to congratulate him on Aoun’s election and on “the role he played in ending the presidential vacuum,” according to a statement released by Hariri’s media office.
During the phone conversation, Hariri expressed his optimism that the election of a president would help “reactivate institutions and confront the many challenges facing Lebanon and the Lebanese,” the statement said.
Hariri is widely expected to be named premier after Aoun wraps up two days of binding consultations with various parliamentary blocs to poll them on their choice for a prime minister.
But judging by previous Cabinet formation attempts, Hariri is expected to face a tough job in his bid to put together a national unity government, given the diametrically conflicting demands of the rival factions vying for key ministerial portfolios.
Hours after his election by Parliament Tuesday as Lebanon’s 13th president with an absolute majority, Aoun scheduled Wednesday and Thursday for meetings with political leaders and heads of parliamentary over the appointment of the next prime minister to replace outgoing Prime Minister Tammam Salam, whose 24-member Cabinet is now serving in a caretaker capacity following the election of a new president.
Speaker Nabih Berri has yet to decide whether his parliamentary bloc will name Hariri for the premiership. Berri is expected to chair a meeting of his 13-member Development and Liberation bloc Wednesday to make a decision on Aoun’s consultations to designate a new prime minister.
“There is no final decision yet on the parliamentary consultations to name a prime minister,” Berri was quoted as saying by visitors at his Ain al-Tineh residence. He said that the Amal Movement and Hezbollah would adopt “a joint stance” on the premiership issue as they had done in the past.
But political sources told The Daily Star that Berri’s bloc and Hezbollah’s 13-member bloc in Parliament would not name Hariri for the premiership.
Berri, who had staunchly opposed Aoun’s election, praised his swearing-in speech as “good,” saying the FPM founder was calm during the Parliament session Monday.
“May God protect Aoun from people around him,” the speaker said in a clear allusion to FPM leader and Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil. “Parliament has elected one person, Aoun, as president,” he added.
Hariri chaired a weekly meeting of the Future bloc, which voiced hope that the election of a president would serve as a strong incentive to get state institutions functioning normally.
“With the beginning of [Aoun’s] mandate, the Future bloc announces its nomination of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri to head the first government of the new term,” said a statement issued after the meeting. “The Future bloc stands by [former] Prime Minister Saad Hariri in his mission at the head of the next government and looks forward to positive results from the cooperation between President Michel Aoun and Hariri in conformity with the provisions of the Constitution and the Taif Accord.”
The bloc said it hoped that the election of Aoun would constitute “a strong springboard to reactivate the work of constitutional institutions and restore the role of the state, its authority and prestige.” It praised Aoun’s inaugural speech in Parliament, particularly the part that highlighted “respect for the Constitution, laws, and the implementation of the Taif Accord without discrimination, the need to bolster national unity.”
Later in the day, Bassil announced that Aoun’s 23-member Change and Reform bloc in Parliament would back Hariri for the premiership.
“Following the Future bloc’s nomination of Saad Hariri for the premiership, we support this nomination. This is a normal position. We accept whoever accepts us,” Bassil told a news conference after chairing the bloc’s weekly meeting in Rabieh, north of Beirut. “All our votes will go to [former] Prime Minister Hariri because he has recognized us and we will be with him in all the difficulties he will face.”
Taking an indirect jab at Berri who opposed Aoun’s nomination for the presidency, Bassil said: “We will reject whoever rejects us.”
Meanwhile, the U.N. Security Council welcomed Aoun’s election as Lebanon’s president and said a new unity government and national elections next year would be critical for stability. “The election is a long-awaited and critical step to overcome Lebanon’s political and institutional crisis,” the council said in a statement.
“The formation of a unity government and the election of a Parliament by May 2017, in accordance with the Constitution, are critical for Lebanon’s stability and resilience to withstand regional challenges,” the statement added.