Moawad to the ‘Al Markaziyya’: Did some forget that I organized for a meeting between Franjieh, Raffoul and Karam in Ehden?

After all the media hype that surrounded the participation of the president of the Independence Movement Michel Moawad and former MP Jawad Boulos in the ‘Tayyar’ dinner in Zgharta-Zawiyat, Moawad expressed his surprise at all that was said about his presence at the dinner. Speaking to the ‘Al Markaziyya’ news agency, he said: “I received an invitation to the dinner and gladly answered it, as I was and still am one of the first to call for breaking down the barriers between Christians. Those that seem to have forgotten should remember that, in August 2016, for the annual dinner that I organize in Ehden, I brought together Tony Suleiman Franjieh and the former Minister Youssef Saade with MP Fadi Karam Pierre and Pierre Raffoul from the ‘Tayyar’ who was not yet a minister at the time. What is unusual in me accepting the invitation to the Tayyar’s annual dinner?!”

Answering a question that accepting the dinner invitation at this time, with the present political heated conflict, was considered by some as a provocation to the ‘Marada’ movement, Moawad said: “There is no reason to think of provocations. I am working with the ‘Marada’ to build a positive mutual relationship. This led to an understanding in the Municipality Elections in which everyone was included and no one excluded, and that at the peak of the political tensions that accompanied the Presidential Elections. But a good relation between parties does not mean holding vetoes on the others’ relationships and contacts, or restricting his steps. For example MP Franjieh received the Minister of Information Melhem Riachy in Bnashii recently, and he could be meeting Minister Bassil at any moment. Where is the problem?”

“But some of the speeches at the ‘Tayyar’ dinner included the declaration of an electoral alliance between you, the ‘Tayyar’ and the ‘Lebanese Forces’ to face MP Suleiman Franjieh in the Parliamentary Elections.”
Moawad answered: “Everyone knows that there is a political alliance between us the ‘Tayyar’ movement, the ‘Lebanese Forces’ and the ‘Future Movement’.  This alliance has manifested in many Orders elections and students’ elections at universities, such as the North Lebanon Bar elections and the students’ elections at the NDU-Barsa University. At the same time, the political confrontation between the ‘Tayyar’ and the ‘Marada’ is an established fact, but despite that neither the ‘Future Movement’ nor the ‘Independence Movement’ are in a political confrontation with the ‘Marada’. Even the ‘Lebanese Forces’ are in a state of dialogue with the ‘Marada’.

“If what is meant is strictly about the coming Parliamentary Elections, till this moment the Election Law is not clear, and our party has not yet taken a decision to form a list of confrontation in Zgharta. I add that it is known by all the political forces, the public opinion and the media, that I have been holding political discussions with MP Suleiman Franjieh and Tony Suleiman Franjieh to study the possibility of sparing Zgharta-Al Zawiyat a Parliamentary Elections confrontation, as we did for the Municipal Elections at the peak of political tension. This is done, for the higher interest of Zgharta-Al Zawiyat.”

When asked whether it was true that Franjieh had proposed for him in their negotiations to head the Zgharta block in addition to a ministerial post, Moawad laughed and said: “First, this information is not accurate. Secondly, we never held negotiations based on bargaining for shares. The motivation was always to enhance the status of Zgharta-Zawiyat and spare it from confrontations during these unclear times. We have already succeeded in this in the recent Municipal Elections. As for the negotiations related to the Parliamentary Elections, and without going into the details, the criterion of success in them is a coalition similar to the coalition between the late President Suleiman Franjieh and Martyr President Rene Moawad, with both parties fully independent. Any attempt to link the agreement to national level political conditions will lead to hampering any possibility of agreement. The care that I am putting to reach an agreement that benefits Zgharta-Zawiyat is as important as my refusal to any attempt that would subdue my party’s independent political decision.”

Moawad added: “Let us be clear. First, I am not prepared to compromise on my position in relation to sovereignty. I do not and will not accept any military presence in Lebanon outside the legal armed forces. And I naturally consider myself as an ally to any party that holds the ideal of sovereignty high.

“Secondly, I stick to my position of support to the understanding between the Christian political components of the country and my support to the presidential Mandate. This is a needed element to reestablish proper partnership at the national level. I am putting efforts to expand the scope of this understanding.

“Thirdly, I stand firm with my connection with the moderate Islamic powers. This relationship is stable and not ‘seasonable’.

“Fourthly, I do not compromise on my positions of principle in fighting corruption in all its forms. This is out of my conviction that in the absence of proper reforms, the Lebanese structure will eventually fall on everyone’s heads.”

Moawad concluded: “I remain open for a coalition in Zgharta-Zawiyat to spare the region a confrontation that can be avoided. We have the last Municipality Elections coalition as an encouraging example for this. But I won’t accept to make any compromise on any of the national principles that I pointed at.”