You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Kouchner: France & I surprised Lebanon deal is blocked
2007-11-20
French foreign minister has blamed unnamed groups for blocking a deal that calls for a compromise candidate to be chosen as the next president of Lebanon.
That'd be Hezbollah and, to a slightly lesser extent, Amal.
Last week, the parliament majority and the pro-Syrian opposition agreed to work from a list of names submitted by Cardinal Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir the head of the Maronite Christian religion - the religious minority from which Lebanon's president is traditionally chosen.

Bernard Kouchner said "those derailing the process would be responsible for destabilizing Lebanon and the region." The Lebanese parliament is due to vote on November 21 to elect a new president to replace pro-Syrian Emile Lahoud, whose term expires on November 23 The vote has already been postponed three times, raising fears of dangerous new political instability.

"The one responsible for blocking a process that was agreed upon by all parties bears responsibility for destabilising Lebanon and for regional consequences," Mr Kouchner said after meeting the Western-backed, anti-Syrian parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri. "I am surprised, France is surprised, that something is stuck, something is blocked, something is derailed," an angry Mr Kouchner said. "Everyone had given their agreement."
Posted by:Fred

00:00