Arab league (AL) chief Amr Moussa has reportedly postponed his visit to Beirut scheduled for Friday, due to the deadlock facing the Arab initiative.
The AL chief sent his assistant Hisham Youssef in Beirut on Wednesday for preparation mission. But new obstacles faced Youssef who met in the past two days with representative of Lebanese warring factions, local press reported on Friday.
The opposition handed over to Youssef a draft of demands that need to be endorsed before the presidential election takes place.
Opposition demands include forming a government of tripartite distribution with ten seats to each of the opposition, the majority and the president.
But, in case of voting in the new cabinet on issues that need two third votes, the president's ministers would not vote, which means the opposition would get veto power.
Leaders of the ruling coalition, Prime Minister Fouad Seniora, MP Saad Hariri and Druze leader Walid Jumblatt rejected the proposed tripartite (10+10+10) formula in the new government.
Moussa's trip to Beirut could take place in the coming 48 hours, in case a slight breakthrough occurs, local As Safir daily reported on Friday.
Arab diplomatic sources told the daily that Moussa might make the "last call" regarding the future of Lebanon which has "become an essential factor in the stability of the region."
The AL chief is expected to gather Lebanese leaders from the Majority and the opposition for the third time in a bid to reach an agreement that could facilitate the election of a new president scheduled on Feb. 26.
Moussa has failed so far in convincing the two Lebanese parties to accept an Arab plan which was endorsed in Cairo on Jan. 6.
The three-point plan aimed at immediately electing Lebanese Army Commander General Michel Suleiman as Lebanese president and proceeding to forming a government of national unity and drafting a new electoral law.
Lebanese presidential seat has been vacant since former President Emile Lahoud ended his term on Nov. 24 last year, and the sharply divided Lebanese parliament has delayed the elections for 14th times without a consensus.
Source: Xinhua
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