Siniora insists Arab plan to end Lebanese impasse is still alive
Sultanov Expects Constructive Decisions on Sunday
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, who met Thursday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo to discuss developments in Lebanon ahead of Sunday”s Arab foreign ministers” meeting, said the Arab initiative was a “serious” endeavor on the table to help the Lebanese resolve their problems.
After an hour-long meeting with Mubarak, Siniora said the interpretation put forward by Arab League chief Amr Moussa was the one adopted by Arab foreign ministers. “The Arab foreign ministers meeting did not in any way discuss a settlement between the majority and the opposition, nor did they discuss the possibility of giving the minority the power to hinder the [government] as that would thwart democracy in Lebanon,” he said.
Siniora said he expects the Arab foreign ministers” follow-up meeting Sunday to reaffirm the Arab initiative and the importance of electing a new president to defuse the crisis in Lebanon. “It is impossible and unreasonable for Lebanon to continue without a new president,” he said, adding that a president, through his role in the political system, could revive constitutional institutions and dialogue among the Lebanese.
“When we elect a president this means Parliament is functioning again and with it the other constitutional institutions which would allow for a resumption of dialogue between the Lebanese,” Siniora said.
The premier added that there was no option for the Lebanese but to sit together and that the paralysis of Parliament had cut the Lebanese off from one another. “How can dialogue continue if the institution that ought to be the appropriate place for dialogue is closed?” he asked.
Siniora said that the country cannot in any way meet the demands called for by labor unions in their strike on Thursday until the situation in the country stabilizes, which would allow the economy to grow.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Saltanov met Thursday with Speaker Nabih Berri, resigned Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh and Lebanese army commander General Michel Suleiman. Saltanov expressed Russia”s “concern” on the situation in Lebanon with the lack of progress toward resolving the political crisis and the vacancy in the presidency.
“We are trying to do all we can to help Lebanon overcome this painful period and for life to return to normal in the country and the region,” Saltanov said after meeting Berri.
Sultanov also expected a “constructive and positive decisions in the interest of the Lebanese people during the Arab League council scheduled for Sunday.”
“The Lebanese parties have made considerable progress toward ending the crisis by agreeing to elect General Michel Suleiman president. It seems about time to implement this consensus, but as is well known there are other problems that need to be resolved,” he added.
Saltanov reiterated Russian support for the Arab initiative and Moussa”s mission and his efforts aimed at bridging the political divide between the rival political camps in Lebanon.
“In Damascus I spoke a lot on Lebanon with our partners and they stressed they would continue to work on easing Moussa”s mission to find a solution to the Lebanese crisis,” Saltanov said after meeting Salloukh. The Russia official hoped the Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo Sunday would see “constructive and positive resolutions” that serve Lebanon”s best interests.