(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Lebanon’s two main Christian political leaders held a historic meeting on Tuesday, in an effort to find common ground among two enemies whose rivalry has lasted for decades.
Michel Aoun and Samir Geagea, who fought each other during the Lebanese Civil War from 1975-1990, are both candidates for the Lebanese presidency which has been vacant since Michel Sleiman’s term expired a year ago.
But the rare meeting, which was held at Aoun’s home in Rabieh, left political quarrels behind and instead focused on a landmark declaration of intent between the two rivals.
The Lebanese Forces and Free Patriotic Movement parties have been in talks for months now, ushered by FPM MP Ibrahim Kanaan and LF media officer Melhem Riachi.
Aoun called the meeting a “gift” to Lebanese Christians who were concerned about the political and security climate in Lebanon.
“The decision is in our hands and not in the hands of any other party,” Aoun said, referring to the influence of the regional power-players Iran and Saudi Arabia.
The agreement on a new president is widely seen as a broader deal requiring a Saudi-Iranian blessing.
Aoun is an ally of the Shiite Iranian-backed Hezbollah, while Geagea backs the Sunni Saudi-backed politician Saad Hariri.
The two leaders issued a joint statement calling for the election of a “strong president” which would be supported by a majority Christian population and capable of working with Lebanon’s other religious sects.
Geagea said the purpose of his visit to Aoun’s home was to gather the two main Christian parties to discuss the ongoing political climate for Christians in the country. He said he “wished the meeting took place 30 years ago.”
“(LF and FPM) are two political forces which — if they agree — can have a positive impact on Lebanon,” Geagea said in comments published by the Lebanese National News Agency. “Our meeting today is the beginning of dialogue, because the previous months witnessed preparations that paved the ground for this meeting.”
The declaration of intent calls for peaceful interaction between the two parties, including mutual support to “principles of sovereignty” and “the approach of dialogue.”
“The two parties agree to strengthen state institutions and resort to the law to resolve any sudden dispute. They agree not to resort to arms or violence and to support the army because it is the institution that can preserve sovereignty and national security,” the declaration of intent reads in-part.
Aoun and Geagea echoed support for coexistence among Lebanon’s religious groups, including an electoral law that respects equal power-sharing between Muslims and Christians.
On the issue of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, both parties called Israel an “enemy” and called for a two-state solution. They also issued a mutual statement rejecting the naturalization of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
The agreement also mentions the Syrian crisis and its impact on Lebanon, adding that they will “not allow” the Lebanese border to be used for the smuggling of militants.
“We call for finding a solution to the Syrian refugee crisis, which is a time bomb at all levels and we call for securing their return to safe areas in Syria,” the document said.
The agreement also made a brief mention of Lebanese emigrants, adding that the two rivals will exert “joint efforts” to approve laws that protect property ownership and naturalization of Lebanese emigrants.