Despite an apparent agreement to elect Army Chief of Staff General Michel Suleiman, Lebanon’s Parliament has delayed its vote to elect a president for the 14th time. Nabih Berri, the speaker of the Lebanese parliament, said the vote would take place on 26 February. By then Lebanon will have been without a president for over three months.
The Arab League’s Amr Musa has made a number of trips to Lebanon and Syria to try and resolve the issue but always without success. He has advocated GEN Suleiman’s election and the forming of a national unity government. The election of a President will be much easier than getting the parties to form a united government. In the meantime bombs and assassinations and riots take place as the parties play full-contact politics. The Saudis and Iranians as well are working behind the scenes to advance their agendas.
For its part the United States is choosing this critical time to replace its Ambassador. The highly effective Jeff
Feltman, who had stayed in Lebanon six months longer than planned, departed just days after a bomb attack on an Embassy vehicle left two dead. He is being replaced by Ambassador Michele J. Sison, a career diplomat. Ambassador Sison, pictured here, just completed a four year tour of duty as American Ambassador in the United Arab Emirates. Upon her arrival see made the following comments about the Presidential election impasse:
“The United States strongly supports the election of a new president of Lebanon. It is regrettable that a vacuum continues, and that presidential elections have been postponed twelve times. An agreement on a consensus president was reached long ago. Outside forces must stop obstructing Lebanon’s democratic process. The Parliament should meet and elect a president now, without conditions. It is tragic that this vacuum has been marked by violence and the loss of many lives.”
“I look forward to offering the congratulations of the U.S. government soon to a new Lebanese president– one who is elected freely and according to Lebanon’s constitution.”
The Arab League’s Amr Musa has made a number of trips to Lebanon and Syria to try and resolve the issue but always without success. He has advocated GEN Suleiman’s election and the forming of a national unity government. The election of a President will be much easier than getting the parties to form a united government. In the meantime bombs and assassinations and riots take place as the parties play full-contact politics. The Saudis and Iranians as well are working behind the scenes to advance their agendas.
For its part the United States is choosing this critical time to replace its Ambassador. The highly effective Jeff
Feltman, who had stayed in Lebanon six months longer than planned, departed just days after a bomb attack on an Embassy vehicle left two dead. He is being replaced by Ambassador Michele J. Sison, a career diplomat. Ambassador Sison, pictured here, just completed a four year tour of duty as American Ambassador in the United Arab Emirates. Upon her arrival see made the following comments about the Presidential election impasse:“The United States strongly supports the election of a new president of Lebanon. It is regrettable that a vacuum continues, and that presidential elections have been postponed twelve times. An agreement on a consensus president was reached long ago. Outside forces must stop obstructing Lebanon’s democratic process. The Parliament should meet and elect a president now, without conditions. It is tragic that this vacuum has been marked by violence and the loss of many lives.”
“I look forward to offering the congratulations of the U.S. government soon to a new Lebanese president– one who is elected freely and according to Lebanon’s constitution.”
