Lebanon's Parliament backs Fuad Saniora for PM

LEBANON: A government official says Lebanon's pro-Western parliamentary majority has backed Fuad Saniora to reassume the post of prime minister in President Michel Suleiman's new government.

The official says the decision was made late Tuesday during a meeting of top leaders from the parliamentary majority and other anti-Syrian politicians at the residence of majority leader Saad Hariri.

He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

Suleiman is not scheduled to poll lawmakers on their choice for prime minister until Wednesday. But with Tuesday's decision by the majority, Saniora is guaranteed to get the prime minister position, which is allocated to a Sunni Muslim under Lebanon's sectarian power-sharing system. Beirut, Wednesday, AP