Crucial Week for Lebanon with No Sign of Quick Settlement

Lebanon entered Monday a crucial week, during which Parliament is set to elect a new president with many warnings that the country risks plunging into chaos if the political vacuum persists.

 

The daily An Nahar said there was no sign that the impasse would be resolved in the near future.

It said information coming from both the majority and the opposition shows that no “quick solution could be reached before weeks to come.”

 

Citing well-informed political sources, An Nahar said all eyes were directed at a Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland.

 

Some Lebanese officials believe that the standoff over the presidency will be resolved only after this week”s Annapolis meeting.

 

“We have to watch progress on the Syrian track in Annapolis,” political analyst Michael Young said.

 

“Either the Syrian track makes progress, and the United States will demand concessions from Syria, or the Syrian track does not make progress and Syria becomes more isolated,” he said.

 

“In either case, Syria will have to make concessions in Lebanon.”

 

Syria was forced to end 29 years of military domination in Lebanon after it was blamed for the assassination of Hariri and subsequent attacks on other anti-Syrian figures in Lebanon, charges it has repeatedly denied.

 

Damascus is now accused by the ruling majority of seeking to regain political influence through its Lebanese allies.