Gemayel warns of ‘drastic repercussions’ of vacuum

BEIRUT: Kataeb leader Amin Gemayel warned Monday against the “drastic repercussions” of a vacuum in the presidential post following a meeting with Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai.

Meanwhile, parliamentary sources said Bkiriki would not hold more meetings with Maronite leaders, as sources in the Free Patriotic Movement said the Change and Reform bloc would not approve any form of extension to the six-year-term of President Michel Sleiman.

“I visited Patriarch Rai in order to inform him of the income of the contacts I held recently [with political figures] and we both have concerns over the possibility of a presidential vacuum,” Gemayel said, speaking from Bkirki.

“It is very important to intensify efforts to hold the presidential election on time because a vacuum would have drastic and dangerous repercussions on Lebanon and its institutions,” he said.

Gemayel launched an initiative last week to find a way out of the presidential stalemate. His meeting with Rai was joined by Nader Hariri, the head of former Prime Minster Saad Hariri’s office.

Sources said the gathering also addressed the possibility of the four major Christian leaders reaching an agreement over a presidential candidate other than Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea or FPM leader MP Michel Aoun

Sources close to Gemayel said that he also tried to push for holding a summit dedicated to the presidential election while stressing that “there is no justification whatsoever for a vacuum." Parliamentary sources, however, told The Daily Star that Rai is not likely to call for any new Bkirki Christian summit dedicated to the election or any other file.

The FPM sources said the group opposes extending the term of Sleiman amid reports that Rai has launched an effort focused on extending Sleiman’s mandate, which ends on May 25.

Rai has also warned a presidential vacuum would run contrary to the 1943 National Pact and eliminate the role of Christians in the country’s power-sharing system.

The FPM sources insisted it is still possible to hold the presidential election on time.

Parliament is scheduled to meet again in a fourth attempt in less than a month to elect a president amid growing signs that Thursday’s session is also destined to fail in the absence of a local and regional accord on a candidate acceptable to the March 8 and March 14 parties.