Head of the "Kataeb" party, MP Sami Gemayel, indicated that "what we gathered from French presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian is that the previous proposal for a swap concerning the presidency is no longer on the table, and there is a fresh start from scratch without entering into specific names." He added, "There is no longer a 'package' proposal that includes a government in exchange for the presidency, but rather a development in the French position meaning that the president will form his team without being forced into a specific arrangement, which is a positive thing."
Gemayel noted in an interview with "OTV" that "the format of the dialogue proposed for September is not yet finalized, and we have hesitated and urged the opposition not to act unilaterally in an attempt to reach a common position that will crystallize within 48 hours." He explained, "We asked the French envoy if Hezbollah was willing to meet us halfway by abandoning its support for the candidacy of Sleiman Frangieh, and for us, if Hezbollah remains 'adamant' about Frangieh, there is no need for dialogue, but if their response is positive, we are always ready to engage in dialogue."
He affirmed that "communication is ongoing with various opposition members as well as with the Free Patriotic Movement, and we insist that we do not make any decisions concerning the proposed dialogue unilaterally." He continued, "We are committed to Jihad Azour, and all indications confirm this; if a session is held tomorrow, we will vote for Jihad Azour, and I repeat that had a second session been convened, Azour would have been president of Lebanon today."
Regarding a third candidate for the presidency, he said, "Everything is possible; for us, we want a president who can restore vitality to the institutions and put Lebanon on the map of recovery, and whoever has the capability is welcome, but we must choose the one who can uplift the country." He added, "We have confidence in Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, but we do not know his political positions."
Regarding the extension of Riad Salameh's term, he stated, "It is a suicidal decision; if a new governor is appointed by a caretaker government, it is also a suicidal act, and handing over the responsibility to deputy governors is likewise a suicidal decision. The only solution is the constitutional solution that requires the 128 deputies to elect a president."
