Kouchner: Syria Banning Presidential Election

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner accused Syria bluntly of banning Lebanon presidential elections and declared that a settlement to the crisis has reached a dead-end.

 

“Things have reached a dead-end because one party does not want presidential elections,” Kouchner told Arab journalists late Monday.

 

“They do not want elections,” Kouchner said.

 

When asked who he meant by “they”, Kouchner said: “Syria through its Lebanese allies.”

 

“Syria wants to appoint the prime minister and the ministers and determine their portfolios and set the government”s platform through its allies in Beirut,” Kouchner added.

 

He expressed willingness to return to Beirut if need be, “but my return now is useless.”

 

The foreign minister said that unless Syria “implements its promises” he will not visit Damascus.