Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora said Friday that Lebanon boycotted the Arab Summit to be held in Damascus only because it rejects to be represented by any person other than the elected president.
Lebanon boycotted the summit also in protest against Syria's policies and practices regarding Lebanon, Seniora said in a televised address.
Expressing anger over the country's four months of presidential void, Seniora blamed Syria for preventing the election of the consensus candidate, army commander Michel Suleiman.
Seniora held Syria responsible for the escalation of the Lebanese crisis and for blocking the Arab initiative, while calling on Arab leaders to hold a special meeting to discuss relations between the two countries.
"Syria played a major role in blocking the Arab initiative and obstructing the efforts of Arab League (AL) chief Amr Moussa," Seniora said.
The Arab initiative endorsed in Cairo on Jan. 6 called for electing army commander Michel Suleiman as president, formation of national unity government and new election law.
The premier's office said that the text of his address will be distributed to the Arab League, the Damascus summit and heads of Arab states including Syrian President Bashar Assad.
The 20th Arab Summit will be held in Syrian capital city Damascus on March 29-30. Lebanese cabinet officially decided Tuesday to boycott the summit and also urged Arabs to tackle the deteriorating Lebanese-Syrian relations.
Lebanon is currently facing the most serious political deadlock since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war. For the first time in its history, the presidential seat has been vacant since Nov. 24 of 2007 when former President Emile Lahoud stepped down.
Lebanese rival political groups were unable to reach a breakthrough, in spite of Arab efforts to resolve the crisis.
Source: Xinhua
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