Presidential Election Postponed to March 25

House Speaker Nabih Berri on Monday postponed a parliament session to elect Lebanon”s new president to March 25 amid no signs of a breakthrough in the ongoing political crisis.

 

Berri”s spokesman Ali Hamdan said the Speaker has decided to postpone the session to Tuesday, March 25 at noon (1000 GMT).

 

The postponement was the 16th time since September that a vote to elect a successor to pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud has been put off amid a standoff between Prime Minister Fouad Saniora”s government and the Syrian- and Iranian-backed opposition, spearheaded by Hizbullah.

 

Parliament was scheduled to meet Tuesday.

 

Some Arab states blame Syria and its Lebanese allies, particularly Hizbullah, for the presidential deadlock.

In January, Arab foreign ministers — including Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem — unanimously adopted a three-point Arab League plan to end Lebanon”s political impasse.

 

The plan calls for the election of Army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as Lebanon”s next president, formation of a national unity government and adoption of a new election law.

 

Syria fears that a poor showing at the Arab Summit scheduled in Damascus March 29-30 will further isolate President Bashar al-Assad”s regime, already accused of interfering in Lebanon.