Future Movement leader Saad Hariri met separately with Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea Thursday and discussed the "qualities" of a new president. After an unscheduled meeting with Sfeir at Bkirki, the seat of the Maronite church, Hariri assured the Lebanese that they will have a "strong president" before Nov. 23.Responding to a question, Hariri said that "we did not go through names. We reviewed qualities of a president for the republic. We want a strong president familiar with the political situation."
Asked to comment on a call by Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun for dialogue on the presidential election, Hariri said: "We are not against dialogue with any of the political parties. We need dialogue Â… This is our national duty." He cautioned that any MP who boycotts the next presidential election session "would be responsible for the resulting vacuum. All the people should know how serious political vacuum is."
Hariri went straight from Bkirki to Meerab where he held a lengthy meeting with Geagea. At a joint press conference at the end of the talks, Hariri said the feuding Lebanese camps "ought to start dialogue, otherwise how do we elect a president? We are our going to reach consensus. We are moving toward consensus."
Geagea, in turn, said: "Our utmost desire is to be able together with our brethren in March 8 (alliance) to reach consensus. This is going to be the starting point in our negotiations." He stressed that March 14 advocates a president who is committed to the promotion of democracy and good political governance, in addition to being an independent decision maker.