Lebanon presidential vote delayed for three more weeks

0 Comments | AFP, January, 2008

BEIRUT (AFP) — A parliament session due on Monday to elect Lebanon's president has been postponed to February 11, despite Arab mediation to break the deadlock, the parliament speaker's office announced on Sunday.

"Monday's session has been postponed until February 11 to allow further dialogue between the different parties on the Arab initiative," the office of speaker Nabih Berri said.

Lebanon has been without a president since pro-Syrian Emile Lahoud stepped down on November 23 amid a deadlock in parliament between the Western-backed ruling majority and the opposition, which is backed by Syria and Iran.

The latest delay brings to 13 the number of sessions that have had to be postponed since September 25, amid failure by the rival parties to pick a successor...