The meeting between Christian leaders Michel Aoun and Samir Geagea was the “perfect response” to all those who wagered on the failure of intra-Christian dialogue over the presidential impasse, a senior Free Patriotic Movement source told The Daily Star Wednesday.
The source, who wished to remain anonymous, also revealed that FPM ministers would not be resigning from the Cabinet or boycotting sessions over the problematic issue of military appointments and spoke about a “third but tough choice.”
“Quitting is always easy,” the source said, “we opted for the hard choice.”
The source argued that Lebanese Forces leader Geagea’s openness to Aoun’s proposal to hold a referendum among Lebanon’s Christians to pick the new president was “an extremely positive sign.”
“The meeting totally negated the argument that the presidency is stalled because the Christians are unable to agree among each other,” he said.
The source said that although distrust between the LF and the FPM remains, Tuesday’s meeting in Rabieh and the several rounds of talks that preceded it were meant to come up with a framework to govern differences and issues of mistrust.
The source noted that in light of the regional circumstances and the “weakened status of Christians in Lebanon,” the country’s two biggest Christian groups had “no choice but to hold dialogue despite unfavorable past experiences.”
“I deeply believe and back dialogue with the LF despite the fact that I also keep in mind that there is a high probability it will be a total flop,” the source said.
“We have no other choice but to speak to the LF, although the FPM knows that Geagea is restricted [due to his alliances] and cannot go very far,” he continued.
According to the source, when Lebanon’s Muslim politicians spoke about the necessity of Christians agreeing together in order to resolve the presidential deadlock, “they always did it with a big dose of sarcasm and slyness.”
“The meeting between Aoun and Geagea came to demonstrate that Christians are able to agree on a minimum.”
The source disclosed that the Maronite Church expressed willingness to host and organize the Christian referendum on the president if it ever takes place.
The source also revealed that FPM ministers would neither resign from the government nor boycott sessions due to the spat over military appointments.
“We opted for the third choice, which is the hardest,” the source, said. He explained that Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil and Education Minister Elias Bou Saab would continue attending sessions but would keep on pressing for appointments to be the sole topic of discussion until a decision is made in that realm.
“This is a tough choice because it entails a battle with the other minsters every time the Cabinet convenes,” the source said.
After Parliament failed to elect a new president, a mechanism governing the decision-making process within the Cabinet was worked out, whereby each minister was granted veto power and government decisions needed the backing of all 24 ministers to become valid.
If the issue of military appointments is not decided upon in Thursday’s Cabinet session, and FPM ministers backed by their allies in Hezbollah do not show flexibility, there is a high probability that the government will plunge into paralysis.
The source refused to take the blame for any ensuing stoppage of the Cabinet’s normal activity.
“Let’s not kid ourselves,” he said. “This Cabinet has been dysfunctional right from the start. Let’s stop fooling ourselves and the Lebanese.”
The source said the majority of Lebanon’s political class – namely the Future Movement, the Amal Movement and the Progressive Socialist Party – are not used to Christians going against their will.
“Well we’re [FPM] sending a big no in their face now,” the source said. “Let’s see if they are able to discuss any issue from now on before military appointments are carried out.
