BEIRUT: Marada Movement leader Sleiman Frangieh said he would support the extension of the term of Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Jean Kahwagi in order to avoid a vacuum in the military leadership.
“I support the appointment of Brig. Gen. Shamel Roukoz to the Army leadership,” Frangieh said in remarks published Friday by local daily As-Safir.
“But if this is not possible, and if I had to choose between Gen. Jean Kahwagi and vacuum, I would choose to extend Kahwagi’s term,” he said.
The current military council has already lost half of its members. Only three members of the council remain: Kahwagi, Army chief of staff Lt. Gen. Walid Salman, and Secretary-General of the Higher Defense Council Maj. Gen. Mohammad Khair.
As Khair’s term was extended for the last allowable time in February, the most senior general eligible to fill a spot on the council is Imad al-Qaaqour, whose is scheduled for mandatory retirement on Sept. 19, three days before Kahwagi.
Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun has stood alone in his rejection of an extension for Kahwagi.
According to sources, Aoun has made a number of remarks on Kahwagi’s performance and the situation of the Army, and is hoping his son-in-law Gen. Shamel Roukoz will become Army commander.
Sources had told The Daily Star that Hezbollah is concerned that the top military post could be left vacant if political leaders do not agree on a successor. Hezbollah does not want to destabilize the Army while it is fighting jihadi militants along the Syrian border.
Aoun has reportedly threatened to pull out of the government if the terms of senior security officers were extended.
Frangieh, an ally of Aoun, said he does not want to see the collapse of Prime Minister Tammam Salam’s government. “However, the issue would be subject for discussions with all our allies, including Hezbollah.”
"If together they decided to withdraw from the government then I will not stay alone there,” he said.
Frangieh also predicted that the presidential crisis would continue until a “strong president” is elected.
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