Report: Ban Urges an End to Presidential Vacuum

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon stated that it is crucial for the Lebanese to end the 18-month vacuum at the top state post voicing hopes that the current dialogue in that regard reaches fruition, An Nahar daily said on Friday .

“The presidential post has been vacant for 18 months now. I knew about the dialogue taking place in that regard. I sincerely hope that the political situation is normalized as soon as possible, but the most important thing is to encourage reconciliation,” said Ban in an interview to the daily.

On the rapprochement between political figures to elect a president and the settlement that highlighted the nomination of Marada leader MP Suleiman Franjieh, he said: “I have known of a dialogue in that regard but first and foremost they (the political figures) should end the political vacuum. They have not been able to elect a president.”

Franjieh has emerged as a new unofficial presidential candidate as part of a greater political settlement aimed at resolving Lebanon's political deadlock.

The initiative first made the light in wake of a meeting held by Franjieh and al-Mustaqbal movement chief Saad Hariri a few weeks ago.

His possible nomination drew the ire of Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea and MP Michel Aoun, who are both nominated for the post.

Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014 without the election of a successor.

Ongoing disputes between the rival March 8 and 14 camps over a compromise candidate have thwarted the polls.

D.A.

M.T.