Saudi, Jordanian Kings for Consensus Lebanese President

Saudi King Abdullah and Jordan”s King Abdullah II have urged Lebanon”s bickering politicians to elect a consensus president in accordance with the Arab initiative.

 

The two leaders stressed after their talks in Riyadh Wednesday the need for “Lebanese forces and movements to overcome their differences and work on electing a consensus president in accordance with” the three-point Arab plan, Jordan”s Petra news agency reported.

 

The Arab initiative calls for the election of Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman president, the formation of a national unity cabinet in which no single party has veto power and the adoption of a new electoral law.

 

Lebanon”s majority and the opposition have agreed on Suleiman as a consensus candidate for the post but continue to bicker about the make-up of a new cabinet.

 

Parliamentary sessions to vote for a new president have been postponed 17 times since last September.

 

Petra also said that the monarchs discussed latest developments in the region, including the Palestinian cause and the situation in Lebanon and Iraq.