Lebanese PM welcomes AL reconciliation initiative

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora on Saturday described an Arab League (AL) initiative on reconciliation in Lebanon as "the only good one existing."

In statements to reporters following his meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Seniora said that the Arab supportive stance of such an initiative should be encouraged and promoted, adding that no other initiatives have been presented by any other side.

Seniora termed his talks with Mubarak as "positive," saying that Egypt, Mubarak and the Egyptian government backed the initiative floated by AL chief Amr Moussa.

During his visits to Lebanon in December 2006, Moussa presented a proposal to Lebanese parties on forming a new government, which comprised 19 ministers from the pro-government "March 14 Movement", 10 from the opposition camp, and one nonpartisan minister, in a bid to resolve the current crisis.

The initiative also suggests that the Lebanese opposition alliance should stop the street protest, approve the formation of the international tribunal, and hold early parliamentary and presidential elections.

Meanwhile, Seniora also highlighted the importance of an international donors conference on Lebanon in Paris later this month, saying that all people, especially the Arabs, topped by Egypt, were aware of Lebanon's suffering for over 30 years.

The Lebanese people deserve support of all countries in order to overcome their accumulated problems and rebuild the infrastructure destroyed by Israeli offensives last year, Seniora said.

Moussa and some Arab leaders failed to resolve the crisis in Lebanon after mediating efforts to reach a compromise with both sides.

Tension in Lebanon began to escalate in November, 2006, when six pro-Syrian ministers resigned after Seniora and the anti- Syrian majority in the parliament rejected the opposition's demand for a new national unity government.

The opposition alliance, led by Hezbollah, has been camping out in central Beirut since Dec. 1, calling for resignation of the Seniora government.

However, the anti-Syrian ruling parliamentary majority has accused the opposition of doing Damascus and Tehran's bidding and seeking to undermine the formation of an international tribunal to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Source: Xinhua