BEIRUT, Lebanon, October 17 (Lebanonwire) -- Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea and a number of his followers commemorated in Paris the battle of October 13th, 1990 with supporters of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) led by Former Army General Michel Aoun, ending with Geagea’s announcement that he was coming back to Beirut, Elaph online daily reported Monday.

It was the first time the two groups met in a formal setting, dismissing doubts that Geagea’s release would threaten Aoun’s influence over his Christian following and result in a power struggle for control over it. The occasion celebrated at the Lady of Lebanon Church marked the end of hostilities in Lebanon following Aoun’s defeat that led to his eventual exile to Paris for the next 15 years. “I’m coming home,” Geagea said, adding with pun intended “Paris is becoming like a prison to me.” Geagea was jailed for 13 years until his release last July.

Geagea said that the new Lebanese government has not yet risen to the task at hand and pointed out that the remnants of the old security regime was still there “committing crimes that do not occur even in the deapest of jungles.”

Geagea is expected to return to Beirut immediately after the findings of the UN probe into Rafik Hariri’s murder are revealed sometimes next Friday, Elaph said.

The daily said Geagea will live in the high altitude Cedars area, some 3000 meters above sea level, where average accumulation of snow reaches five meters. “Doctors advised him to stay there in order to avoid humidity and air pollution,” Elaph opined.

In Geagea’s recent television appearance, he looked refreshed and in good health, contrary to how depleted and haggard he looked upon his release.

Elaph said that Geagea would not stay in the Cedars for too long, out of fear that he would be isolated from the political scene and that he would eventually move to central Kesrouan.

Although he celebrated with FPM supporters, Geagea is not ready to abandon his strategic alliance with Future Movement leader Saad Hariri, who is Aoun’s favorite target for criticism.

Aoun's famous words describing Hariri’s current majority in government were “they stole from us the government but they won’t steal the presidency.”

Talking about the presidency, this week’s much anticipated UN report is expected to result in media attacks against President Emile Lahoud calling for his resignation.

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