Aoun Meets Christian Figures, Warns of Harsher 'Tone'
Lebanese national opposition leader and head of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) MP General Michel Aoun held a series of meetings on Tuesday with other Christian political figures that focused on the political vacuum days after Parliament failed to elect a new president. Parliament is now scheduled to convene Friday, and the meetings of General Aoun, which started on Monday and are expected to continue all week, are designed to find a way out of the crisis.
But little so far indicates that a successor to former President Emile Lahoud is going to be elected amid continued deadlock between the ruling bloc and the national opposition. The unconstitutional government of Fouad Saniora, which is considered illegitimate since the resignation of six Cabinet members - including all five Muslim Shiites - last year, effectively took charge of running Lebanon on Saturday.
But little so far indicates that a successor to former President Emile Lahoud is going to be elected amid continued deadlock between the ruling bloc and the national opposition. The unconstitutional government of Fouad Saniora, which is considered illegitimate since the resignation of six Cabinet members - including all five Muslim Shiites - last year, effectively took charge of running Lebanon on Saturday.



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"Lebanon is not in a state of chaos today. I do hope that a new president will be elected very soon," French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said. ?France is committed to assisting Lebanon to respect the Constitution and preserve security and stability,? he told the French weekly Le Figaro. "The international community is more and more ready to support the goodwill of the Lebanese people."
Among those who visited General Aoun on Tuesday were former Minister Fares Boueiz, and delegations from the opposition Tashnak, Tadamon, Waad and Marada parties. He also hosted the Egyptian ambassador to Lebanon, Ahmad Bidiawi.