Delegated by the head of the Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea, a delegation from the "Strong Republic" bloc visited MP Ashraf Rifi at his home in Ashrafieh yesterday afternoon. The delegation included MPs Fadi Karam, Ghiyath Yazbek, and Eli Khoury, the assistant secretary general of the Lebanese Forces for electoral affairs Jad Demian, and the coordinator of the Forces in Tripoli, Fadi Mahfoud. They discussed internal developments and the regional situation.
After the meeting, MP Elias Khoury stated, "We addressed the general situation and the concerns of Tripoli, and we emphasize that the greatest concern is what is happening in the south; the situation is critical amidst Israeli assaults that are drawing Lebanon into confrontation, thus bearing what we cannot tolerate. Therefore, we stressed the importance of international resolutions, most notably Resolution 1701, which we endorse as parliamentary blocs and as the opposition."
Then, MP Fadi Karam explained, "We are discussing together the issue of extending the term of Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, in order to overcome the crisis threatened by certain parties that seek only personal interests." Rifi pointed out, "We are fighting the battle to prevent a vacuum in the leadership of the army, which is the last institution standing with its competent and honest national leadership, while we see the other party acting with a canceling behavior. Therefore, we need solidarity, and I assure you that we have a solid nucleus of 31 MPs, both Muslims and Christians, who are coordinating at every stage."
He added, "None of us is subject to or surrendering, because our conviction in state-building is firm and not subject to personal interests. Our national unity is solid and not subject to private interests. We have collaborated with the Lebanese Forces to prevent the incident in Qurnat al-Sawda from turning into strife, and here I salute the people of Baqa'asfarin and the people of Bsharri, who thwarted the other project aimed at creating strife."
