Jordan Times
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Arab initiative on Lebanon a
step in the right direction - King
JT and agencies
AMMAN/BEIRUT - His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday commended a recent Arab
League plan as a step in the right direction to address the Lebanese crisis.
During a meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, the King said the
implementation of the initiative would spare Lebanon the consequences of the
political vacuum the country has fallen into.
Lebanon has been without a president since November 23, when Emile Lahoud
stepped down with no successor in place amid a bitter power struggle between the
Siniora government and Hizbollah-led opposition.
The Arab plan, which received broad international backing, is based on a
three-point plan that calls for the election of army chief, General Michel
Sleiman, as president, the formation of a national unity government in which no
one party has veto power and the adoption of a new elections law.
The Monarch also stressed his support of the Lebanese government and
institutions in their efforts to enhance national unity and preserve the
security and stability of the country and its achievements, highly valuing
Siniora's role in this regard.
King Abdullah called on the Lebanese powers to continue their efforts seeking to
reach a national accord that leads to electing a new president and enabling the
people to stand up to challenges facing them.
The King said dialogue between all political Lebanese powers is the best
approach to overcome differences, enhance national concord and preserve
Lebanon's sovereignty and unity.
Siniora briefed King Abdullah on latest developments in his country and efforts
exerted to elect a president in light of the Arab League initiative.
Also yesterday, Prime Minister Nader Dahabi held talks with Siniora on means to
develop bilateral ties and latest developments in Lebanon.
Dahabi, who reiterated Jordan’s support for the Arab League initiative, said the
proposed national unity government in Lebanon should be representative of the
entire spectrum of the Lebanese people.
In press statements following the meeting, the Lebanese prime minister stressed
that there was complete harmony during the talks between him and Dahabi on
various issues discussed.
Siniora said current efforts are focused on electing a president and then
forming a government in accordance with the constitution.
Siniora expressed his full support of the pan-Arab initiative, and gratitude for
the attention Arab countries are giving to his country in this time of crisis.
Siniora, who concluded his brief visit yesterday, met also with Minister of
Foreign Affairs Salah Bashir and discussed developments in Lebanon and means to
bolster bilateral ties.
Also yesterday, King Abdullah telephoned Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper
and discussed means to enhance bilateral ties. In the phone call, King Abdullah
voiced appreciation over the Canadian government’s support for the Kingdom’s
development projects and its stand towards the repurchase of debts owed by the
Kingdom to Paris Club.
The King and Harper also discussed efforts to push the peace process forward and
expressed hope to continue momentum that was realised following the Annapolis
meeting to encourage the Palestinians and Israelis to negotiate over final
status issues leading to the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
Musa in Beirut
Also Wednesday, Arab League chief Amr Musa met with Lebanese leaders in a bid to
persuade them to endorse the joint Arab proposal to end the long-running
presidential crisis.
"The [Arab League] initiative is clear and I will immediately get down to work
because time is running short and we need to salvage the situation," Musa told
reporters on his arrival.
A vote in the Lebanese parliament to elect a new head of state has been
postponed 11 times, and MPs are now due to convene for a fresh attempt on
January 12.
The Arab League plan is the latest in a string of international proposals to end
the stalemate, which is threatening Lebanon's stability.
Hizbollah, which has insisted on having a third of the seats in a new government
so as to have veto power over key decisions, has given the plan a cautious
welcome. The government, however, has given it its full support.
Hizbollah MP Mohammad Haidar said his party wanted to make sure that there would
be "no winner and no loser" if the plan is adopted.
"We want to make sure that under the proposed formula, no party will be able to
impose its decisions in the next government," he said.
There is speculation that if Musa leaves Beirut empty-handed, Saturday's
parliament session will be postponed like the previous attempts to elect a
president, possibly until the spring.
After his arrival, Musa held talks with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, an
opposition stalwart, ahead of a meeting with Sleiman later in the evening.
On Thursday, he is due to meet various political leaders, including Michel Aoun,
Hizbollah's main Christian ally in the opposition.
Lebanon's former power broker Syria, a key ally of the opposition, said the Arab
plan had its full support.
"Syria will work to ensure the success of Amr Musa's mission to get Lebanese
parties to agree to the plan endorsed by Arab ministers," Information Minister
Mohsen Bilal told reporters.