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Ban in Beirut Pushes for Free, Fair Elections
Hanan Awarekeh
The United Nations joined international and Arab mediation efforts to break the political deadlock in Lebanon and urged through its visiting Secretary General Ban Ki-moon feuding Lebanese leaders to set aside their differences and proceed with the election of a president by a November 23 deadline.
Ban continued on Friday his visits to the Lebanese figures in a bid to end the political crisis. On Friday morning, Ban held talks with Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir in Bkirki. After around 45 minutes, Ban left Bkirki aboard a U.N. chopper without making any statement.
However, the meeting between him and Sfeir was described as "positive."
Ban later met with MPs from the ruling bloc Solange Gemayel, Mohammed Qabbani, Faysal Sayegh, Serge Sarkisian, and head of the National Bloc Party Carlos Eddeh. He also met with a delegation from the Progressive Socialist Party headed by MP Walid Jumblat. He also met MP Nayla Mouawad at the Serail where she demanded international election protection and former President Amin Gemayel Ban also phoned General Michel Aoun and discussed the presidential election issue.
The United Nations joined international and Arab mediation efforts to break the political deadlock in Lebanon and urged through its visiting Secretary General Ban Ki-moon feuding Lebanese leaders to set aside their differences and proceed with the election of a president by a November 23 deadline.
Ban continued on Friday his visits to the Lebanese figures in a bid to end the political crisis. On Friday morning, Ban held talks with Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir in Bkirki. After around 45 minutes, Ban left Bkirki aboard a U.N. chopper without making any statement.
However, the meeting between him and Sfeir was described as "positive."
Ban later met with MPs from the ruling bloc Solange Gemayel, Mohammed Qabbani, Faysal Sayegh, Serge Sarkisian, and head of the National Bloc Party Carlos Eddeh. He also met with a delegation from the Progressive Socialist Party headed by MP Walid Jumblat. He also met MP Nayla Mouawad at the Serail where she demanded international election protection and former President Amin Gemayel Ban also phoned General Michel Aoun and discussed the presidential election issue.
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Ban was accompanied on his trip by Terje Roed-Larsen, the U.N. special envoy to the Middle East.
Apart from the U.N. chief and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner who was in Beirut on Tuesday, Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema was expected in Beirut on Friday to push the feuding sides to agree. Kouchner was also due to return next week - for his sixth visit in as many months - to ensure the vote goes through.
His visit Thursday comes a week before parliament is to convene for another try to elect a president. Parliament is supposed to pick a new president before the term of current President Emile Lahoud ends on November 24.
Ban said it was imperative for parliament to convene next week and elect a successor to head of state Emile Lahoud to put a stop to the country's political crisis. "The election of a new president should take place on time and in accordance with constitutional procedures?The new Lebanese president should enjoy the broadest possible acceptance so that he or she can represent all Lebanese people,'' Ban said.