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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Aoun refuses to accept another candidate as president |
| 2007-11-23 |
| Last-minute efforts by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to try to break presidential elections deadlock failed as MP Saad Hariri fell short of convincing Michel Aoun to agree on a consensus candidate just one day before the election deadline. After Sarkozy telephoned Syrian President Bashar Assad on Tuesday to push him to adhere to pledges Syria has given to France over facilitation of the elections within the constitutional framework, the French president telephoned Aoun and Hariri late Wednesday to urge them to exert efforts that would salvage Lebanon of the impasse. Sarkozy's call also came after Assad informed the French president that Damascus has "done its job" with its allies, particularly Hizbullah and the Amal Movement headed by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. Asaad had also notified Sarkozy that the dispute now revolves around one complex: Aoun -- and that Damascus has no influence over this issue. Right after Sarkozy's phone calls to Hariri and Aoun, the two men met at the residence of Deputy Parliament Speaker Farid Makari in Rabieh. A statement at the end of the talks said the two leaders pledged to "keep their meetings open." According to local media, Hariri sought to convince Aoun of the importance of the "Syrian ploy" which says the complex issue is Aoun. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Aoun: "It's all about meeeeeee!" |
| Posted by: twobyfour 2007-11-23 14:28 |