By Paul Astih – Asharq Al-Awsat

Beirut- The head of the Free Patriotic Movement, Foreign Minister
Jebran Bassil, and Speaker Nabih Berri’s political advisor Finance
Minister Ali Hassan Khalil have been exerting strong efforts for the
past months to make a rapprochement between the two parties. Bassil and Khalil have been drafting an “understanding document” to
end the “cold war” between the FPM and Amal that has been raging for
many years. Among the most powerful signs of differences between the two sides
was the rejection of Berri to vote for FPM founder Michel Aoun as
president in October last year. Berri, who had backed Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh for
the country’s top post, submitted a blank ballot during the elections. Tense relations between the FPM and Amal had been a source of concern
for their common ally “Hezbollah,” which had been working as a
“mediator” to soothe tension.

Bassil and Khalil began holding meetings before the presidential
elections. But informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that their talks
have culminated with an initial agreement on how to manage the country’s
affairs and exercise power. The understanding document, which is expected to be announced soon,
looks almost similar to the “declaration of intent” made by the FPM and
the Lebanese Forces before the presidential elections last year. FPM official and former Minister Mario Aoun told Asharq Al-Awsat that
the rapprochement between the two movements is the result of an
initiative launched by General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim. The new understanding will reflect positively on the upcoming
parliamentary elections, Aoun said. “Things will become clearer once an
agreement is reached on an electoral law.” President Aoun had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Amal’s
ally Hezbollah in February 2006. That document kept the FPM-Hezbollah
alliance strong until this day. As for the “declaration of intent” announced by Aoun and LF chief
Samir Geagea in January 2016, it paved way for the FPM founder’s
election as president and ended years of rivalry between the two sides.