Arab League (AL) Secretary General Amr Moussa on Saturday called on the Lebanese politicians to reach a consensus for the presidential candidate by next Friday.
Moussa told reporters that its pan-Arab body is continuing its contacts with all Lebanese politicians to help them find a consensus president and end the current crisis.
Having been postponed several times, a parliamentary session to choose the new Lebanese president will be held on Friday.
Moussa dismissed the allegation that Lebanon was already in the grip of a constitutional vacuum, noting that the Lebanese constitution includes articles that deal with situations as the current one and stipulates that in case of failing to elect a president, the cabinet runs the country.
Lebanese former president Emile Lahoud left the Baabda presidential palace in Beirut at midnight Friday, concluding a nine-year term.
Hours before he steps down, Lahoud declared that threats of a state of emergency prevailed over Lebanon and assigned the army to maintain law and order throughout the nation.
But Lahoud's decision was rejected by Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora who said in a statement that the presidential measure was "not factual or based on constitutional or legal authorities."
Under Lebanon's constitution, if no president is elected by the parliament in time limit, presidential powers pass to the government.
But Lahoud, an ally of the Hezbollah-led opposition, has reiterated that he will not hand over the power to the government led by Prime Minister Fouad Seniora, which he considered as "illegitimate."
Lebanese parliament had been scheduled to convene on Friday to pick a new president but the session, which had been delayed for four times, was postponed again to next Friday, Nov. 30.
Source: Xinhua
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