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Lebanon leader's vote could be postponed |
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Written by AP
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A parliament session to elect a president is likely to be postponed once again, as political wrangling Thursday held up a deal on endorsing Lebanon's army chief as a consensus candidate.
France's foreign minister was trying to mediate the situation. The parliament was scheduled to meet Friday to vote to approve Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman for the presidency.
Suleiman emerged as a compromise candidate after months of disputes left the country in a dangerous political vacuum and after President Emile Lahoud stepped down Nov. 23 without a successor.
Visiting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, a top international mediator between the feuding Lebanese, stepped up efforts Thursday to broker a consensus on the eve of the session. He reported no progress in breaking the deadlock.
"Work and meetings are continuing. We will return later. You will get the news when work is finished," Kouchner told reporters after a second round of talks with opposition-aligned Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Saad Hariri, who leads the parliamentary majority.
Kouchner had held a joint meeting with Berri and Hariri Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a leading member of the Hezbollah-led opposition ruled out the possibility of parliament convening Friday.
Opposition lawmaker Ibrahim Kenaan accused the majority of obstructing the presidential election by not reaching agreement on a future government.
"There can be no parliament session Friday because ... a political understanding is lacking," Kenaan told The Associated Press.
Kenaan, a member of Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun's 23-member bloc, said pro-government and opposition groups are still split over how the constitution should be amended to allow for Suleiman's election.
On Wednesday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the AP he was "extremely concerned" about the delay in Lebanon's presidential vote and that he has spoken to the country's rivals to press for a swift resolution.
The 128-seat legislature requires a two-thirds quorum to begin voting. With 68 members, the majority needs support from some opposition parties to reach a quorum.
To elect Suleiman, the legislature first needs to amend the constitution to allow an army chief to run for the top post. That also requires a two-thirds vote of approval by the parliament.
Suleiman is seen as a neutral figure who can appeal to both camps. His election could resolve months of conflict between the U.S.-backed majority and the opposition.
Electing him hit snags when Aoun, who was once himself a presidential hopeful, stepped down but then began demanding agreement on the future Cabinet.
Kenaan said Kouchner was trying to reach "a minimum of political understanding" between the rival sides but has been unsuccessful because the majority "has refused to discuss any political understanding ahead of the election."
Kenaan said the opposition's demands included 45 percent of seats in a national unity Cabinet to be headed by a "compromise prime minister" — meaning Hariri, or any other politician from the majority, would not be acceptable to the opposition.
Aoun said Thursday there was "no political consensus ... despite the French mediation." He told a news conference the opposition "insists on a political understanding."
Ammar Houry, a member of Hariri's 35-lawmaker Future Movement bloc, told the Voice of Lebanon radio that Friday's parliament session was again doomed to postponement. He accused the opposition of putting up obstacles in the way of Suleiman as president, echoing similar accusations by Prime Minister Fuad Saniora.
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