Lebanon delays presidential vote after talks fail

By Tom Perry

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon postponed its presidential election to March 11 from February 26 on Monday, the 15th such delay, after rival leaders failed to reach a deal to end the country's political conflict.

The deadlock has threatened to degenerate into sectarian violence and continues to poison inter-Arab relations in the run-up to next month's Arab summit in Syria.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri announced the delay of a parliamentary vote expected to confirm army chief General Michel Suleiman as president after two days of talks in Beirut by Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa.

"In line with the Arab League initiative and to give efforts of its secretary general more chances to achieve consensus among the Lebanese, the (election) session has been postponed," Berri said in a statement.

Moussa said more time was needed to reach a deal between the rival camps, whose conflict has paralyzed much of government for 15 months and left the country without a president since November.

"I had hoped that we would end with a comprehensive paper, or a comprehensive draft deal," Moussa said.

"But it appears that the matter needs more time," he told reporters after chairing a meeting between governing coalition leaders Saad al-Hariri and Amin Gemayel, and Michel Aoun, who represented the opposition.

The rival camps have agreed on Suleiman as the next head of state but are still at odds over how to share seats in a new cabinet which would take office once he is elected.