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Lebanon 'needs interim president' Lebanon 'needs interim president'
(about 5 hours later)
Lebanese opposition leader and presidential hopeful Michel Aoun says an interim president should be chosen as a way of ending political deadlock. The Lebanese opposition leader and presidential hopeful, Michel Aoun, has said an interim president should be chosen to end the 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 his opposition choose a neutral candidate to serve a reduced two-year term and that the ruling majority select a new prime minister.
Mr Aoun said the president would serve until general elections in spring 2009. The Christian leader's offer came as a deadline to elect a president neared.
President Emile Lahoud's term ends at midnight on Friday, and parliament has so far failed to elect a successor. A vote in parliament has been scheduled for 1300 (1100 GMT) on Friday, 11 hours before the end of Emile Lahoud's term.
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. Attempts to elect his successor over the past two months have been hampered by rivalry between Western-backed and pro-Syrian factions, both of whom blame each other for the impasse.
Civil strife fears The BBC's Kim Ghattas in Beirut says the failure to find a compromise has raised fears of turmoil, including the possibility that the opposition could create a rival administration as happened during the civil war.
The political deadlock has already led to the vote being postponed four times. Last-minute initiative
Correspondents say there are fears of a constitutional vacuum or worse, civil strife, if no president is elected. The political deadlock has already led to the vote being postponed four times since 25 September.
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. Under Mr Aoun's proposal, an interim president would remain in office until parliamentary elections were held in 2009, 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. We are offering this initiative in order to find a solution Michel Aoun
That prime minister would then form a national "reconciliation government", Mr Aoun said. Mr Aoun, leader of the Reform and Change bloc, said it would be the task of the parliamentary majority leader, Saad Hariri, to name a new prime minister from outside his Future Movement party.
That prime minister would then form a national "reconciliation government".
"We are offering this initiative in order to find a solution," Mr Aoun told a news conference in Beirut.
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. LEADING CANDIDATES Nassib Lahoud: Government candidate. Former US ambassador. Leading industrialistMichel Aoun: Opposition candidate. Former army commander who fought Syria during civil war. Returned from exile in 2005. Vocal opponent of governmentMichel Suleiman: Army commander since 1998. Electing him requires constitutional amendmentRiad Salameh: Central bank governor since 1993. Widely respected at home and abroad. Election requires constitutional amendmentBoutrous Harb: Pro-government candidate. MP and former ministerJean Obeid: Possible consensus candidate. Foreign minister 2003-2004
The last-minute proposal was made after Lebanese politicians again failed to agree on a candidate.
The Chamber of Deputies will convene at lunchtime on Friday to attempt to choose a president.
The election requires a two-thirds majority, but Mr Hariri's ruling bloc only has a slim majority, so a deal with the opposition is theoretically required.
According to Article 62 of the Lebanese constitution, if no candidate is elected before Mr Lahoud's mandate expires, his powers are automatically transferred to the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.
However, the pro-Syrian president has vowed not to hand over power to Mr Siniora, and said he would name army chief General Michel Suleiman as his provisional successor instead.
Mr Lahoud has also said any election would require a quorum of two-thirds of the number of deputies. The opposition has warned it may boycott Friday's session.
International effortsInternational 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. Our correspondent 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 future Lebanese president has to be a Maronite, like Emile Lahoud
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.