EU Foreign Ministers mission fails, another delay in Presidential vote
Beirut (AsiaNews) – Yet another stale mate over the crucial election of the Lebanese President: attempts at mediation by France, Italy and Spain’s Foreign Ministers have substantially failed as today the scheduled parliamentary session for the vote, due to take place Tomorrow was once again postponed, now set for November 12th. Some hope remains for tomorrow’s meeting between representatives of the opposing Christian factions, called for by Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir, as well as developments from yesterday’s encounter between Amin Gemayel and Michel Aoun, which both defined as having been positive.
Bernard Kouchner, Massimo D'Alema and Miguel Angel Moratinos met with most of the protagonists of the current crises, from Premier Fouad Siniora to Parliament speaker Nabih Berri, along with Patriarch Sfeir, and the main leaders of the ruling majority and opposition. They repeated their call for consensus on the name of the new Head of State and underlined that the EU would remain on the sidelines. “The three ministers don't have Alexander the Great's sword to cut through Lebanon's Gordian knot,” said the independent daily al-Anwar. For its part An-Nahar, closet o the parliamentary majority affirmed that “This was a very laudable visit, but it's not enough to pave the way to the restoration of normal politics in Lebanon”, while the opposition Al-Diyar, wrote, “the three ministers' message cannot push the political machine towards an agreement because there are multiple factors to the political crisis, which depend on regional issues”.
Some however maintain that the European troika did obtain something. “There is some movement”, writes today’s L’Orient Le Jour, referring to the meeting between former president Gemayel and Aoun. An opinion shared by most of the national press. “In fact – continues the daily which is close to the ruling majority – at a concrete level it was inconclusive but it did urge the beginning of a climate of trust and the assurance that despite the tensions which may come to pass in the next few days and weeks, there will be no recourse to the use of force”.
The same objectives will be considered by the committee promoted by Patriarch Sfeir, which draws together representatives from the opposing Christian Factions. They met Saturday in an encounter defined as “positive” and they are scheduled to meet again tomorrow. For his part Card. Sfeir, yesterday during mass pointed out that the Lebanese are faced with a “crucial choice. They must make decisions and bring about change. The Patriarch invited parliament members “to examine their conscience and think of the future of the nation and its people alone”.
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