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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Lebanon election set for delay again
2007-10-21
Where are we on the timetable, Fred?
Coming up on half-past never, I'd reckon. Or until someone booms the Phonoecia Hotel.
This is the only month they can put it off. Liver Lips' term is up next month. Likely he'll try and hand power to the military, which'll set up an antigovernment (maybe in Avignon?), which'll give Hezbollah something to "support."
BEIRUT - LebanonÂ’s parliament is likely to delay electing a president next week because no compromise candidate has been found by rival pro- and anti-Syrian groups, a political source said on Saturday. It would be the second postponement in electing a president, a hurdle to resolving an 11-month crisis pitting the anti-Syrian ruling majority against the opposition, led by pro-Syrian Hezbollah.

It is the worst crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war and there are concerns that if no president is elected before the term of pro-Syrian Emile Lahoud expires on Nov. 23, Lebanon may end up with two rival governments and bloodshed.

“It is expected that the session will not be held on Tuesday, Oct. 23, in order to continue negotiations on a compromise candidate,” the source told Reuters on Saturday.

Opposition MPs boycotted parliament on Sept. 25 to prevent a two-thirds quorum and thwart anti-Syrian factions, which have a razor-thin majority, from electing a new head of state. Prime Minister Fouad SinioraÂ’s backers, including the United States and Saudi Arabia, want to replace Lahoud with one of their own. Hezbollah and its allies in the opposition want to deny the presidency to their rivals, whom they regard as puppets of the United States.

The foreign ministers of France, Spain and Italy meet with Lebanese leaders on Saturday to press for a resolution to the crisis over choosing a president. After meeting Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, leader of the opposition Shi’ite Amal group, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said they brought a “message of unity and sovereignty of Lebanon and a message of the necessity of completing the Lebanese presidential election”. The three ministers are due to meet Siniora and the influential Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir.
Posted by:Steve White

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