US presses for Lebanon solution

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/7152386.stm

Version 0 of 1.

US envoy David Welch has held further talks with Lebanese political leaders aimed at bringing an end to the crisis over electing a new president.

His schedule included meetings with the pro-Syrian parliamentary speaker and members of the pro-Western government.

Lebanon has had no president for nearly a month since Emile Lahoud left office, and many parliamentary sessions called to elect one have been cancelled.

The next attempt for parliament to meet is expected on to be on Saturday.

But Speaker Nabih Berri said the chances of it going ahead were "slim if the situation remains unchanged".

"I haven't lost hope and if a vote does not take place on Saturday I will continue to call for successive sessions, even on New Year's Day," he was quoted as saying.

Mr Berri met Mr Welch for an hour and a half. Neither spoke to reporters after the talks.

Deadlock

The pro-Western ruling bloc and pro-Syrian opposition have agreed on a presidential candidate, army chief General Michel Suleiman, but are divided on the make-up of the new government.

The US envoy has accused the opposition of blocking a vote and urged on Tuesday that Mr Berri assume his constitutional responsibilities and allow parliament to vote.

"Members of parliament should elect a president without conditions and without any further delay," he said after meeting pro-Western bloc leader Saad Hariri.

The deadlock over the president is Lebanon's worst political crisis since the country's long civil war ended in 1990.

The economy and parliament have been crippled, and the opposition has refused to recognise the government.

The governing coalition needs a two-thirds majority to elect the president, or 86 of the 128 MPs, but holds only 68 seats.