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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Leb majority issues an ultimatum urging Saturday elections |
| 2007-12-20 |
| The March 14 leaders issued an ultimatum to the opposition after a late nigh meeting yesterday urging a fruitful meeting to amend the constitution and elect a president this Saturday or the government will act alone and amend the constitution as needed . The March 14 meeting grouping Parliament majority leader MP Saad Hariri, Democratic gathering leader Walid Jumblatt, Phalange Party leader and former president Amin Gemayel, Lebanese Forces chief Dr. Samir Geagea and Prime Minister Fouad Siniora warned against any further postponement of the legislative session to elect a president. The March 14 leaders rejected attempts by the opposition to bypass the government in the amendment needed to elect General Suleiman as president . They insisted on sticking to the constitution which gives the government a central role in any amendment . "If Speaker Nabih Berri didn't convene the parliament on Saturday and the opposition's MPs didn't attend the session...the government will meet before Christmas to issue a bill to amend the constitution allowing the election of Gen. Michel Suleiman as president and refer it to parliament to force MPs to shoulder their responsibilities," the March 14 majority leaders warned late Tuesday. In another related development US secretary Condoleezza Rice has cancelled her Wednesday trip to Beirut and this is why her assistant for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch and Deputy National Security Advisor Elliott showed up Tuesday in a surprise trip to try and end the impasse. |
| Posted by:Fred |