Saniora: Civil War Not Likely

Premier Fouad Saniora has said civil war is unlikely in Lebanon, but blamed the Hizbullah-led opposition for taking the country to the brink.

 

“I don”t think (civil war will happen)… although there are many players who try to approach the brink and the point of danger in order to exercise more of a black veil, so as to achieve more and more concessions,” he told BBC during a visit to London.

 

Saniora said opposition groups have realized that civil war would not achieve anything, although they sought to trigger one by advocating disorder and seeking to topple his government.

 

“And it”s not in the interest in Syria at the end of the day, and definitely it”s not in the interest of Iran, because the civil war in Lebanon is going to spill over everywhere else in the Arab and Muslim worlds,” he told BBC.

 

About the presidential election deadlock, Saniora said: “Definitely we need a solution but… not at any price, where we would be sacrificing our sovereignty, independence and way of life as a liberal society.”

 

A parliamentary session to elect a new head of state has been scheduled for Tuesday Feb. 26. The presidential election has so far been postponed 14 times.