Ильяс Саркис (араб. الياس الهراوي‎‎, 20 июля 1924 — 27 июня 1985) — президент Ливана, находившийся в этой должности с 1976 по 1982 год.

Ранняя биография и образование

Элиас Саркис родился в Шабанийехе, горной деревне со смешанным христианско-мусульманским населением, в семье, державшей свой магазин, 20 июля 1924 года.^[1] Его семья принадлежала к христианам-маронитам.^[2] Его отец был армянского происхождения, а мать — коптского.

Саркис учился в местной школе в Шабанийехе, а затем в школе Фререс в Бейруте.^[3] Он начал работать в качестве железнодорожного клерка во время своего обучения в бейрутском Университете Святого Иосифа, где он получил юридическое образование, закончив его в 1948 году.^[4]

Начало карьеры

После окончания университета Саркис работал адвокатом в течение 3 лет.^[3] Затем он стал протеже командующего ливанской армией Фуада Шехаба, ставшего президентом Ливана в 1958 году.^[1] Саркис был назначен магистратом счётной палаты, а затем генеральным директором Палаты президенты в 1953 году.^[3] Позднее он был назначен главным управляющим Центральным банком Ливана в 1968 году, на этой должности он оставался в течение 9 лет.^[3] Его назначение на эту должность было вызвано желанием тогдашнего президента Шарля Элу реорганизовать ливанскую банковскую систему, пострадавшую от банковского кризиса 1968 года.^[1]

Президентство

Саркис участвовал в выборах президента Ливана в 1970 году как протеже Шехаба и рассчитывал на победу, но проиграл Сулейману Франжье в один голос.^[5]

Однако Саркис был избран президентом 6 лет спустя 8 мая 1976 года во время бушевавшей в стране Гражданской войны.^[6][7][8] Его избрание президентом, как предполагают, происходило с давлением со стороны сирийцев.^[9] Иными словами, он был кандидатом Дамаска и желанным президентом Ливана для лидера Сирии Хафеза Асада.^[10][11]

The election was held in the Versailles-style Esseily Villa, a private residence in Southeastern Beirut, since The National Assembly building was not safe due to ongoing attacks and battle.^[12] Sixty-six members of the Assembly elected him president on 8 May 1976. On the other hand, twenty-nine members of the Assembly boycotted the session.^[12] These members were among leftist and Palestinian groups.^[5] His sworn ceremony could not also be held at the Assembly, and he had to sworn at a hotel in the eastern city Shtaura, 25 miles from Beirut.^[5] Sarkis could move to office four months after his election on 23 September 1976,^[3] since former President Frangieh objected at first to leave office.^[13] Sarkis could appoint Salim Hoss as prime minister in December 1976.^[14]

When Sarkis effectively began to serve as the President, he could not forge a lasting accommodation between Christian and Muslim factions. Also, the growing independent power of the Palestinian guerrillas in Lebanon prompted two large-scale Israeli attacks, in 1978 and 1982.^[5] Several nationalist and leftist political parties and organizations created the Lebanese National Movement (LNM) under the leadership of Kamal Jumblatt in 1976. The conservative forces led by the Christian Kata’ib (Phalange) Party was the another block called the Lebanese Front. President Sarkis tried various initiatives to find a negotiated settlement to the conflict, but all were unsuccessful. Because these two groups had their own goals. The Lebanese Front was gradually strengthened its position, awaiting favorable regional developments to impose its own will. The LNM, on the other hand, was too dependent on the Palestinians and unable to initiate a political negotiation process in ceasing the civil war.^[15] In November 1976, Sarkis wanted to include Druze za’im Kamal Jumblatt in the cabinet. However, Hafez Assad did not permit it due to Jumblatt’s clear opposition to Syria's increasing influence in Lebanon.^[16]

On 5 March 1980, Sarkis developed his policy as part of his attempts to create national accord: unity, independence, parliamentarian democracy, rejecting the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel. In June 1980, Salim Hoss resigned in protest against his inability to create peace in Lebanon. After much difficulties, Sarkis was able to appoint Shafik Wazzan as new prime minister.^[2] Sarkis was described as one who was in office but not in power.^[17]

Just before the end of his term in 1982, Israel invaded southern Lebanon in the 1982 Lebanon War and had advanced to the outskirts of Beirut. He organized a peacekeeping force involving U.S., British, French and Italian troops in Beirut after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon to drive out the Palestine Liberation Organization in 1982.^[6] In addition, Sarkis formed the rescue committee in 1982 to make arrangements regarding the results of the Israeli invasion.^[18] The members of the committee included the Amal movement’s leader, Nabih Berri, and the hardline Christian leader Bashir Gemayel.^[18] The body was significant in that it caused tensions in the Amal movement, because Hussein Musawi left the Amal protesting against Berri and founded Islamic Amal after this event.^[18]

Sarkis gained the respect of many Lebanese during his term, but critics accused him of indecisiveness.^[6] However, he was regarded as the Syria’s choice, but not the Muslim-Palestinian alliance’s. It was the reason for twenty-nine members of the Assembly boycotted his election session.^[12]

Преемники на посту президента

Sarkis was to be succeeded by Bachir Gemayel, who was elected President on 21 August 1982 with seventy-seven votes.^[12] However, Gemayel was assassinated 21 days before he was due to take office. Amine Gemayel, Bachir’s brother, was subsequently elected in his stead, and Sarkis handed the presidency over to him on 23 September 1982.^[12]

Смерть

Sarkis died in Paris «allegedly» due to cancer on 27 June 1985, at the age of 61.^[3][1][5] His body was returned to Lebanon.^[1] Then-Lebanese President Amine Gemayel led mourners at his funeral in Beirut on 29 June 1985. The requiem mass in East Beirut was attended by a Syrian delegation led by a government minister representing then Syrian president Hafez Assad. His body was buried in his hometown, Shbaniyeh, on the same day.^[19]

Примечания