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Dubai: Lebanese rival parties welcomed the plan approved by the Arab Foreign Ministers, who met in Cairo on Sunday, to end the political crisis in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Arab League Secretary-General Amr Mousa announced his plans to head to Beirut "within two days" to discuss the plan and win the feuding parties consent to early presidential election.
"There has been an agreement which I will present to the Lebanese parties for discussion during my visit," Mousa told reporters at a news conference yesterday, adding that he will go to Beirut "within two days."
"The ministers welcome favourably the consensus around Michel Sulaiman as a candidate for the presidency and call for his immediate election in accordance with the constitution," Mousa said, reading from a statement.
In Beirut, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who is allied with the opposition, thanked the Arab ministers for their call, saying "we hope that it will be translated on the ground to ward off any strife and end the current crisis."
"I tell the Lebanese that we can start with the Arab resolution to ... confirm our unity," Berri added in a statement released by his office.
Sa'ad Hariri, head of the anti-Syrian parliamentary majority, echoed Berri's endorsement, describing the resolution as a "historic stance that expresses the real Arab will in rejecting all kinds of pressure on our country".
"It also gives the Lebanese people moral, political and national support that will enable them, God willing, to overcome the current period," he added.
Cabinet seats
His ally, Druze leader Walid Junblatt hoped the agreement would allow the election of Sulaiman "this week."
The parliament is scheduled to meet on Saturday following 11 failed attempts to fill the presidential seat, vacant since 23 November, when the term of President Emile Lahoud expired.
But Hezbollah member of parliament Hussain Haj Hassan told the Hezbollah television station Al Manar the opposition wanted clarifications on some aspects of the next government.
Mohammad Ra'ad, the head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, said the movement would wait to see what follows the Arab ministerial meeting.
"We don't want to be pessimistic or block the route to any productive decision, especially in a complicated matter like the Lebanese issue," he added.
The Lebanese opposition has been calling for a national unity government, insisting on having the power to impose or block any decision. The new plan, however, does not give any party that power.
The veto power in the Cabinet, thus, rests with the new president, who is expected to get six out of the 30 members of the new government, according to Lebanese media reports.
The Hariri-led majority would get 14 ministers while the opposition 10, the reports said.
Diplomatic sources in Cairo were quoted as saying Syria, considered the main foreign power behind the Lebanese opposition, had agreed to the plan, even if it does not overtly give the opposition the veto power.
In return the draft does not attack Syria and it enhances the role of General Sulaiman, who is widely seen as sympathetic to Syrian interests in Lebanon.
The strategy: No veto power
- The election of Michel Sulaiman as president should take place immediately.
- It should be followed by an agreement to form a national unity government in such a way that no party can impose or block any decision. The president should have the final say (in case of disagreements).
- Work should start on drafting a new law governing parliamentary elections soon after the presidential election and formation of a government.
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