Mubarak: Syria has to Solve Lebanon Crisis to Have Successful Summit

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has said the success of an upcoming Arab summit in Syria depends on Damascus” willingness to solve Lebanon”s political crisis.

“The summit will be held in Syria, and Syria has a role in Lebanon”s problem, that”s why I hope that Syria would solve the problem so that we could resolve other problems when the summit is held,” Mubarak told Bahrain”s state TV after talks with King Hamad Bin Issa al Khalifa in Manama Monday.

Mubarak also wondered “until when Lebanon will stay divided and shattered.”

 

Egypt and Gulf states fear the Arab summit that will be held next month in Damascus could fail if a president for Lebanon was not elected, a senior Bahraini official said.

 

“Egypt and the Gulf states see it necessary to resolve the question of the empty presidential post in Lebanon before the summit,” the official, who declined to be named, told Agence France Presse after the meeting between Mubarak and Bahrain”s King.

 

Egypt and Gulf states believe “failure to resolve this question could contribute to the failure of the summit,” the official added.

 

Mubarak arrived in Bahrain on Monday from neighboring Saudi Arabia where he discussed with King Abdullah ways to resolve Lebanon”s crisis.

Arab League chief Amr Moussa left Lebanon on Monday having failed in a new mediation bid to break the deadlock.

 

Despite consensus on Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman for president, feuding Lebanese politicians have failed to agree on power-sharing in a future government.