Lebanese pro-Syrian opposition calls for street protest on Friday

The Lebanese opposition Thursday called on public to go into street on Friday for a mass demonstration to demand a new government with national unity, Hezbollah television reported.

"The Lebanese opposition calls the Lebanese to attend a peaceful demonstration and open-ended sit-in in downtown Beirut at 3 p.m. (1300 GMT) Friday to demand the formation of a national unity government to replace the current one," said a statement issued by the opposition bloc and aired by Hezbollah television.

Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah and pro-Syrian allies have earlier mobilized for mass street protests to topple incumbent government led by Prime Minister Fouad Seniora following the cabinet on Nov. 13 approved with absence of six pro-Syrian ministers a UN draft document for the creation of an international tribunal on the case of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's killing.

Six pro-Syrian ministers resigned earlier this month after the country's leaders failed to reach an agreement on formation of a national unity government.

In the wake of the resignation of the six minister, the pro- Syrian bloc said that Seniora's government had lost its legitimacy since Shiite Muslims are no longer represented.

However, the anti-Syrian ruling parliamentary majority led by Seniora has accused Hezbollah and Amal movement, the main pro- Syrian and pro-Iranian Shiite groups, of doing Damascus's and Tehran's bidding and seeking to undermine the formation of the tribunal.

Source: Xinhua