EU will deal with any victors in Lebanese elections
European Union (EU) Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana said Wednesday the EU would deal with whoever would be in power in Lebanon in the aftermath of the upcoming parliamentary elections. "We will deal with any party which emerges victorious in the elections," Solana told a news conference at the Grand Serail after brief talks with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.
Earlier in the day, the European official said after meeting Speaker Nabih Berri that he hoped the polls would take place in a tension-free atmosphere.
Coming to Beirut from Damascus, Solana said Syria was willing to cooperate with the international tribunal to try suspects in the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
He added that he did not discuss the situation in Lebanon with Syrian officials.
"Both countries are sovereign states and we hope they maintain their diplomatic relations and move swiftly toward operating their embassies."
Earlier on Wednesday, Solana held talks with President Michel Sleiman at the presidential palace.
On a separate front, no progress was made to resolve the crisis over funding the Council of the South ahead of Thursday”s Cabinet session.
An expected meeting between Berri and Siniora did not occur Wednesday as the speaker paid his regular weekly visit to the presidential palace and left without making any statement.
Political sources told the Central News Agency Wednesday that Sleiman was trying his best to end the standoff over funding the Council of the South.
The sources said the president had prepared a number of solutions to present during Thursday”s Cabinet session.
The standoff has so far delayed the release of the government”s budget policy for 2009.
All other budget-related issues had been agreed on during six earlier sessions and the row over funding the council was all that remained, the sources said.
Berri wants LL60 million allocated to the council, a demand rejected by Siniora, who insists on paying only LL40 million.
Separately, Sleiman received Interior Minister Ziyad Baroud, who briefed him on the ministry”s preparations for the June 7 parliamentary elections.
Also Wednesday, Siniora contacted UN chief Ban Ki-moon and thanked him for his ongoing efforts to establish the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
The repeated launching of rockets by unknown assailants from southern Lebanon into northern Israel was also among other issues discussed by the two men.
Siniora told Ban that the government was trying its best to put an end to such violations.