Arab envoy gets rival Lebanese leaders to meet
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Arab League chief Amr Moussa said more time was needed to resolve Lebanon's political stand-off after he brought the feuding parties together on Friday.
Distrust between the anti-Syrian ruling party and Hezbollah-led opposition is increasing after a 15-month-old political crisis, the worst since the 1975-90 civil war.
Moussa brokered Friday's meeting between the pro-Western governing coalition leader Saad al-Hariri and Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun, in the first talks between the rival factions since mid-January.
Moussa said there was "no confidence" between the rival sides and urged the leaders to tone down their rhetoric.
"The tone is sharp and I hope that Lebanese go back to a tone that everyone understands. The sharpness of the tension ... is something we have to remedy."
The leaders discussed an Arab states' initiative to end the crisis which has deepened divisions between followers of rival sectarian leaders, paralyzed government and left Lebanon without a president since November.
Amin Gemayel, a ruling coalition Christian leader, was also present at the four-hour roundtable talks in downtown Beirut's parliament building.
"There is room for agreement but there are also issues that need more discussion," Moussa told reporters after the meeting.
"Based on the principle of friendly negotiations and the joint desire to reach a solution, we agreed that we need another meeting."
Moussa had been set to leave Beirut on Friday but he delayed his departure after a meeting with opposition leader, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, indicating an agreement might be in the works.
"There is a possibility of reaching a deal soon based on ... an agreement on the political issues," a political source told Reuters. Moussa's previous attempts to resolve the crisis have failed.
The Arab plan calls for the election of army commander General Michel Suleiman as president, the formation of a national unity government and the drafting of a new law for a parliamentary election due next year.
FATE OF ELECTION UNCLEAR
The rival factions have agreed on Suleiman as president but he has not been confirmed as head of state because of a dispute over the formation of the new government, leading to repeated delays to the election since September 25.
Members of parliament are due to vote for a president on Monday but, in the absence of a deal, the parliamentary session appeared headed for another delay.
The opposition, backed by Syria and Iran, wants an equal, three-way division of seats in the new cabinet -- between themselves, the ruling coalition and ministers chosen by the president -- or veto power for the opposition.
Both demands are rejected by the ruling coalition, which is backed by the United States, France and Saudi Arabia.
Tensions have been exacerbated by the killing of seven Shi'ite Muslim protesters who support Hezbollah and Shi'ite ally, Amal. Three officers and eight soldiers have been arrested over the January 27 killings.
(Additional reporting by Laila Bassam)
