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BEIRUT: Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel
Aoun announced his list of candidates for the
upcoming parliamentary elections in the
northern Metn district, amidst the country's
dismay over a car bombing that claimed the
life of prominent anti-Syrian journalist Samir
Kassir.
During a news conference in the morning, Aoun
called for a moment of silence for the slain
An-Nahar columnist, and said he believed the
murder was an act of vengeance by those Kassir
had spent his life battling.
Kassir was best known for his anti-Syrian
writings and unrelenting attacks against the
pro-Syrian Lebanese security apparatus and
authority.
Aoun's list, announced during a news
conference at his home in Rabieh on Wednesday,
was still incomplete but included five names:
former General Edgar Maalouf, former MP
Ghassan Moukhaiber, Ibrahim Kenaan, Salim
Salhab and Nabil Nicholas.
However, the list failed to include candidates
for the Maronite, Orthodox and Armenian seats
in northern Metn.
Aoun explained the lack of a full list by
saying: "The circumstances didn't allow us to
form one unified list because of our alliance
with the opposing list in northern Metn, which
will be declared Friday."
The FPM list comes one day after Aoun formally
unveiled an electoral alliance with his
one-time pro-Syrian rivals in a bid to weaken
leading opposition figure Walid Jumblatt in
what is expected to be the country's main
electoral battle. The two opposition leaders
will square off in crucial polls in the
Baabda-Aley district of Mount Lebanon, which
is made up of Maronites, Druze and Shiite
voters.
Both Aoun and Jumblatt have sought the backing
of pro-Syrian forces, each hoping to trump the
other and gain extra seats in the new
Parliament.
Aoun has allied with Jumblatt's rival in the
Chouf, Druze pro-Syrian MP Talal Arslan.
When asked whether his incomplete lists
implied there were further alliances to come
in northern Metn, Aoun replied there are
common factors between the FPM and the
Phalange party, former Interior Minister
Michel Murr and opposition members Nassib
Lahoud and Gabriel Murr.
He added: "We cannot screen the people and the
choice goes back to them whom to vote for and
whom to follow."
Aoun continued it is not acceptable for
Lebanon's
diversified political life to be transformed
into one political line controlling
everything.
According Aoun, "this eliminated democracy,
and if all of us parties had a common
agreement then our agreement would overrule
everything and delete the role of others."
Aoun failed last week to reach a deal to run
in the elections alongside the other main
opposition parties.
He insisted his differences with the
opposition started when he announced he wanted
to reopen files, once in Parliament, into
allegations of government fraud over the past
15 years and bring in international auditors
to go over the accounts.
He said: "The main issue that terrified
everybody and will continue to terrify them is
the issue of corruption and unjustified
indebtedness. Those candidates who are against
us all took part in the 15 years of
corruption."
By Leila Hatoum
Daily Star staff
Friday, June 03, 2005
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