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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Lebanon 'needs interim president' | Lebanon 'needs interim president' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Lebanese opposition leader and presidential hopeful Michel Aoun says an interim president should be chosen as a way of ending political deadlock. | |
| Mr Aoun suggested that the opposition choose someone from outside his bloc to serve as president and that the ruling majority select a prime minister. | Mr Aoun suggested that the opposition choose someone from outside his bloc to serve as president and that the ruling majority select a prime minister. |
| Mr Aoun said the president would serve until general elections in spring 2009. | Mr Aoun said the president would serve until general elections in spring 2009. |
| President Emile Lahoud's term ends at midnight on Friday, and parliament has so far failed to elect a successor. | President Emile Lahoud's term ends at midnight on Friday, and parliament has so far failed to elect a successor. |
| Lebanon's president is elected by parliament, but attempts to chose a new leader have been hampered by rivalry between anti- and pro-Syrian factions, both of whom blame each other for the impasse. | Lebanon's president is elected by parliament, but attempts to chose a new leader have been hampered by rivalry between anti- and pro-Syrian factions, both of whom blame each other for the impasse. |
| Civil strife fears | Civil strife fears |
| The political deadlock has already led to the vote being postponed four times. | The political deadlock has already led to the vote being postponed four times. |
| Correspondents say there are fears of a constitutional vacuum or worse, civil strife, if no president is elected. | Correspondents say there are fears of a constitutional vacuum or worse, civil strife, if no president is elected. |
| The future Lebanese president has to be a Maronite, like Emile LahoudUnder Mr Aoun's proposal, the interim president would remain in office until elections could be held, at which point the new president would take over for a full six-year term. | The future Lebanese president has to be a Maronite, like Emile LahoudUnder Mr Aoun's proposal, the interim president would remain in office until elections could be held, at which point the new president would take over for a full six-year term. |
| Mr Aoun said it would be the task of parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri to name a prime minister from outside his Future Movement party. | Mr Aoun said it would be the task of parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri to name a prime minister from outside his Future Movement party. |
| That prime minister would then form a national "reconciliation government", Mr Aoun said. | That prime minister would then form a national "reconciliation government", Mr Aoun said. |
| Mr Aoun said that his offer would remain on the table until 2300 (2100 GMT) on Friday, just one hour before Mr Lahoud's term in office is due to expire. | Mr Aoun said that his offer would remain on the table until 2300 (2100 GMT) on Friday, just one hour before Mr Lahoud's term in office is due to expire. |
| The proposal was made after Lebanese politicians again failed to agree on a candidate. | The proposal was made after Lebanese politicians again failed to agree on a candidate. |
| International efforts | International efforts |
| The BBC's Kim Ghattas in Beirut says the issue is turning into a regional and international affair. The US, Russia, Syria and Iran are all intensely involved and there has been a lot of diplomatic shuttling between Damascus, Moscow, Tehran and Paris. | The BBC's Kim Ghattas in Beirut says the issue is turning into a regional and international affair. The US, Russia, Syria and Iran are all intensely involved and there has been a lot of diplomatic shuttling between Damascus, Moscow, Tehran and Paris. |
| US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned several of the country's top leaders on Monday. | US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned several of the country's top leaders on Monday. |
| The French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, arrived in Beirut on Sunday and is expected to stay until Saturday. | The French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, arrived in Beirut on Sunday and is expected to stay until Saturday. |
| He has warned that whoever blocks the selection process bears responsibility for destabilising Lebanon and the region. | He has warned that whoever blocks the selection process bears responsibility for destabilising Lebanon and the region. |
| Fears are growing that failure to elect a president will bring more turmoil to Lebanon. | Fears are growing that failure to elect a president will bring more turmoil to Lebanon. |
| The army has increased its presence on the streets of Beirut and set up checkpoints, some schools have cancelled classes until Monday, and the ministry of interior has suspended all firearm permits until further notice. | The army has increased its presence on the streets of Beirut and set up checkpoints, some schools have cancelled classes until Monday, and the ministry of interior has suspended all firearm permits until further notice. |