BEIRUT: Prime Minister Tammam Salam is considering extending the tenure of Lebanese Army Intelligence chief Brig. Gen. Edmond Fadel, which expires March 20, local daily An-Nahar said Tuesday.
It said the idea to extend Fadel’s term for one year was discussed Monday between Salam and Defense Minister Samir Moqbel.
Parliamentary sources in the March 8 and March 14 camps told The Daily Star that a draft law to raise the retirement age of senior officers in the Army and the Internal Security Forces is still in the drawers of the Cabinet’s Secretariat General as it is difficult to present it to the Cabinet for discussion, and subsequently to Parliament’s general assembly for approval, given the political complications facing it and hurdles inside the military institutions.
Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun has strongly rebuffed plans to extend the terms of Army commander Gen. Jean Kahwagi and ISF chief Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Basbous.
The sources said Aoun’s rejection was part of his pressure on rival political leaders to elect him as president.
As the terms of both Basbous and Kahwagi draw to a close, the government will have to take action on their positions, either to extend the terms or appoint new figures.
Basbous retires on June 5 while Kahwagi retires on Sept. 23.
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