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Lebanon speaker sees 16th vote delay: paper
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's presidential election, already delayed 15 times, is set for another postponement on Monday because of the country's political crisis, the parliament speaker was quoted as saying.
Asharq Al-Awsat quoted Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri as saying he may postpone the vote scheduled for Tuesday to March 25 -- four days before an Arab summit which some leaders are not expected to attend unless the Lebanon crisis is resolved.
The Beirut governing coalition, which is backed by Western states and Saudi Arabia, is locked in a power struggle with an opposition alliance supported by Iran and Syria. Damascus is set to host the March 29-30 Arab summit.
The crisis has paralyzed much of government, left the presidency vacant since November and led to bouts of lethal street violence in a country still rebuilding from its 1975-90 civil war.
Both camps have agreed that army chief General Michel Suleiman should fill the presidency, which has been empty since the term of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud expired.
But Suleiman's confirmation by parliament has been repeatedly derailed by a dispute over the make-up of a cabinet to be formed after his election.
"(Speaker) Berri describes the internal Lebanese situation as being in a state of great paralysis, indicating that the continuation of the current situation will push him again to postpone the session", Asharq Al-Awsat said.
Berri told the paper he might set the next session for March 25. "He said that he is betting on the possibility of a breakthrough in the Arab situation which will help to budge matters before the summit," the paper said.
Parliament cannot convene to elect the president unless there is a deal between the rival camps that will secure a quorum for the vote.
The Lebanon crisis has poisoned ties between Syria and Saudi Arabia, whose King Abdullah is not expected to attend the Damascus summit unless it is resolved. The leaders of Egypt and Jordan are also expected to miss the summit unless there is a deal in Lebanon.
(Writing by Tom Perry)
