Russia Hopes Lebanon will Elect New President

Russia hopes Lebanon will overcome political deadlock over selection of its next president, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday during a meeting with Saad Hariri, leader of the troubled nation”s anti-Syrian parliamentary majority.

 

Lavrov told Hariri he hopes that by Wednesday, when rival parliamentary factions are to convene in an attempt to elect President Emile Lahoud”s successor, politicians will have reached “national accord and unity.”

 

Attempts since September have failed to bring legislators from the U.S.-backed parliament majority and the Hizbullah-led opposition, supported by Syria and Iran, to agree on a compromise presidential candidate.

 

It is unclear whether the assembly can muster the two-thirds needed to convene and begin voting by Wednesday.

 

Hariri, son of slain former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, called last month on Russia and China, which have close ties with Iran and Syria, to use their influence to prevent interference in the choice of a president.

 

On Tuesday, he stressed the importance of strong Russian influence in the region.

 

“Lebanon, like the whole Arab world, is interested in maintaining Russia”s role in the region,” said Hariri, who was expected to meet later in the day with President Vladimir Putin.

 

Putin made a landmark visit to Iran last month and has moved to reinforce Russian ties with Syria, a Soviet-era ally.

 

Russia is a member of the “Quartet for Middle East Peace” group, alongside the United States, the European Union and the United Nations, which is trying to broker peace in the Middle East.

 

Despite the 2005 withdrawal of its long-standing military presence from Lebanon, Syria remains a dominant political force in its smaller neighbor. Pro-Syrian Lahoud will step down Friday.