Dr. Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces said Saturday he opposes the election of a president who is committed to the existing understanding between Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement of Michel Aoun. He stressed that Aoun is not the leading Christian leader and urged him to consider consensus on presidential candidates Nassib Lahoud and Butros Harb who represent the March 14 alliance to "salvage Lebanon."Geagea, addressing a news conference, also noted that blocking presidential elections opens the door to Syria's renewed influence in domestic Lebanese affairs "that is why Arab and international envoys talk to the Syrians about Lebanon." He said Syrian leaders have invested 40 years in trying to convince the world that Lebanon is not a viable state and that the Lebanese are not capable of ruling themselves. "We will not permit a return of Syria's influence and no revolution would survive in Lebanon except the Cedar Revolution. This is Cedar Land," Geagea pledged.
He expressed the belief that a new president would be elected before year-end. He said the interim rule by Lebanon's Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's government "is not the solution (to Lebanon's crisis) the solution is in holding the presidential election as soon as possible."
"What prevents the election of Butros Harb or Nassib Lahoud?" Geagea asked. "Is the present situation better than what it would have been had either of them been elected president? I propose this solution to hold the election, otherwise, the alternative solution would be more difficult."
In answering a question as to whether the Lebanese Forces is applying a U.S.-set agenda, Geagea said: "If the U.S. agenda is to elect a president on constitutional schedule, we are with the U.S. agenda, but if the U.S. agenda is to block presidential elections then Hezbollah is applying a U.S. agenda" because the MP's of the Iranian-backed party have boycotted the vote.
He stressed that political differences with the FPM would persist within the "political frame and there would be no confrontation" with Aoun's partisans. Geagea concluded by stressing that electing a president by simple majority remains an option, denying reports of differences with Druze leader Walid Jumblatt or any other leader of the March 14 forces.