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Lebanon’s FM Bassil bemoans decision to extend LAF chief’s mandate

13-08-2015 | 09:02

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Lebanon’s FM Bassil bemoans decision to extend LAF chief’s mandate

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Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said “the cabinet committed a great violation by allowing Defense Minister Samir Moqbel to extend the terms of top security officials.”

“Decisions cannot be taken at the cabinet without consensus in the absence of a head of state,” Bassil noted in a press conference on Thursday.

“It is we who contributed to securing freedom and sovereignty in Lebanon and it is important to admit that the decision to extend the Army Commander’s mandate was an external one,” FM Bassil said.

He also said that “the presence of Christians [in Lebanon] and popular movements are being downplayed and misunderstood,” adding “it was obvious during the [latest] cabinet session that we were underestimated.”

On Wednesday (August 05), Moqbel extended for one year the terms of Army Commander General Jean Kahwaii, Chief of Staff Major General Walid Salman and Intelligence chief Brigadier Edmond Fadel until Sept. 30, 2016.

Telecom Minister Botrous Harb said the next day that “Defense Minister Samir Moqbel was forced to extend the terms of the country’s top Army generals.”

“Cabinet reached a standstill yesterday,” Harb said, adding that Moqbel was consequently "forced" to make a decision that would “fill the [potential] void” in top military posts.

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