Arab FM urged immediate Lebanon presidential election

Arab foreign ministers met today in Cairo , Egypt with the Arab League chief and agreed on a plan to solve the Lebanese crisis. Egyptian MENA news agency reported.

 

The meeting of Arab foreign ministers on Saturday evening was aimed to prepare for Sunday”s extraordinary meeting of the Arab League Council at the foreign ministers” level.

 

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa( pictured) told the reporters , following the meeting that the agreement concerning Lebanon called for :

 

– Welcoming the agreement by all the Lebanese factions to nominate army chief General Michel Suleiman as the Lebanese presidential candidate . The FM urged the Lebanese to immediately proceed with his election as Lebanon’s new president .

– Urging all parties in Lebanon to reach an immediate agreement on forming a national unity government in line with the constitution. The government will not have a guaranteed one third for the opposition or the right for a veto power . The president however will have a veto power in the new government.

– Stressing the necessity to draft a new election law in Lebanon following the holding of the Lebanese presidential election and forming a new government.

 

– Moussa was entrusted with holding contacts with all Lebanese, Arab, regional and international parties to implement the council”s decision, according to MENA.

 

– A delegation representing all the Arab foreign minister to visit Lebanon Wednesday January 9, 2008 , which is 3 days before the set election date of the president

 

– On Jan. 27 the FM will follow up on the results of Moussa’s efforts .

Hesham Youssef, Moussa’s deputy told reporters that his boss is planning to visit Lebanon in the immediate future , but did not specify a date .

Lebanon has been without a president since November 23, 2007 when Emile Lahoud ‘s term ended . The Speaker of the Lebanese parliament has delayed the presidential elections for 11 times starting September 25, 2007. The reasons for the delays are the demand by the Hezbollah- led opposition for a unity government in which they will have a veto power and a basket of other demands that will guarantee future loyalty to Syria.