Christian members of the March 14 coalition stressed Monday that they are "the Christian political authority that will have the basic and effective role" in electing a new President. The stand was outlined as a meeting grouping 29 Christian members of the multi-sect majority coalition was underway at the residence of Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in Merab, northeast of Beirut.Geagea, in a dialogue with reporters, said the meeting was aimed at "countering efforts by foreign intelligence to choose a president" for Lebanon. He stressed that the "era of foreign influence (in Lebanon) is gone and fabricating a president by outside powers is not right."
Geagea stressed that such rejected options of foreign interference in choosing a president for Lebanon were "applied during the era of Syrian hegemony." A vacuum in the presidential office is "a red line," Geagea announced. He disclosed that there had been some contacts with Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun concerning the election of a new head of state to succeed President Emile Lahoud, whose extended term in office expires on Nov. 24.