BEIRUT: The Amal Movement and Hezbollah will negotiate the share of the Marada Movement in the next government, Suleiman Franjieh, the head of the Christian political party, said Thursday.
“Hezbollah and Amal are negotiating on behalf of me in consultation with the prime minister-designate because they have discussed the issue with me,” Franjieh told Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Nour radio.
Franjieh’s remarks come after Speaker Nabih Berri recently announced the end of the March 8 alliance and said he would only negotiate for the share of the two Shiite groups, Amal and Hezbollah, in the next government.
Berri also said the Free Patriotic Movement and Marada could negotiate over the their ministerial seats.
Franjieh said Thursday that he could not delegate Aoun to negotiate on behalf of his party as Aoun had not volunteered to do so and given that the FPM considers the Marada “followers and not allies.”
“If Gen. Michel Aoun asks us to negotiate on our behalf then let him do so but how can we delegate him for such a mission if he does not ask for it?” said Franjieh, adding that his party would not give up on its share in the next Cabinet to any other group.
“The Free Patriotic Movement considers some as allies, like Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, and considers some others as followers and we might be ranked in the second group,” Franjieh said.
The Marada Movement leader also said he supported Aoun in his call for appointing a new Army chief, a controversial issue that has caused disputes between the FMP chief and Berri.
“If Gen. Aoun can secure a majority to name a new Army chief then we are with him,” Franjieh said.
Franjieh pointed out that if there was no breakthrough over naming a new military commander, he opt for extending the term of Gen. Jean Kahwagi in order to avoid a vacuum at the military establishment.
FPM MPs have boycotted Parliament over the extension of Kahwagi’s term.
