Resounding win for Saad Hariri
Lebanon Parliament vote:
LEBANON: Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri’s Government
won a resounding vote of confidence from parliament on Thursday, paving
the way for his expected visit to Syria for talks with the country’s
president.
Lebanon’s new Government, which backs Hezbollah’s right to keep its
arms, won the support of 122 of the 128-seat assembly. One deputy voted
against while one abstained and four were absentees, speaker Nabih Berri
said.
Parliament endorsed Hariri’s Government after a 3-day debate during
which the issue of Hezbollah’s arms was a heated topic.
Hariri, a 39-year-old Sunni Muslim businessman, had been keen on
securing the backing of his powerful Shi’ite rivals, who are close
allies of neighbouring Syria, to ensure a smooth launch for his
administration.
No date has been set for Hariri’s expected trip to Syria for talks
with President Bashar al-Assad, but Lebanese media have said that it
could be this month.
Before the vote, Hariri told the assembly that Lebanon was looking
for better relations with Arab countries.
“We specially look forward to Lebanese and Syrian relations founded
on brotherly ties ... based on respecting the sovereignty of both
countries,” he said.
Hariri’s coalition, backed by the United States and Saudi Arabia, had
accused Syria of assassinating statesman Rafik al-Hariri, Saad’s father,
in February 2005.
Syria denies any links, but the killing forced Damascus to end its
29-year military presence in Lebanon in April 2005 and led to the
formation of a special court in The Hague to investigate and prosecute
the killers.
Lebanon remained without a functioning government for months after
June elections which Hariri’s coalition won over Iranian and
Syrian-backed Hezbollah and its allies.
But with Syria and Saudi Arabia keen to improve bilateral ties and
ease political and sectarian tensions in Lebanon, they nudged their
allies to agree on a unity government that gave Hariri’s coalition 15
ministers in a 30-member cabinet, Hezbollah and its allies 10 and
President Michel Suleiman five. BEIRUT, Friday, Reuters |
