Beirut/Doha - Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora will
not meet with US President George W Bush in Egypt on Sunday because
he will be busy with talks between opposing Lebanese factions in Doha
to end Lebanon's crisis, a Lebanese government source said Friday.
'The premier's priority now is to end the Lebanese conflict,' the
source said.
Bush vowed last week to stand by Seniora and his pro-Western
government after they were dealt a military blow by Hezbollah.
Bush was due to meet the prime minister on the sidelines of an
economic forum in the Red Sea port of Sharm el-Sheikh.
According to sources close to the Lebanese opposition, 'Seniora
now has a very tight schedule and he does not want to meet Bush to
anger the opposition led by Hezbollah.'
Flights resumed at Beirut's airport Friday, as Lebanese
politicians left for talks in Qatar in Doha designed to ease the
conflict between Lebanon's pro-Western government and Hezbollah, that
took over large parts of the city by force last week.
The talks, brokered on Thursday in Beirut by the 22-member Arab
League, will take place in the Persian Gulf state of Qatar.
Negotiators will try to agree on a new Lebanese president, a new
electoral law and a national unity cabinet, Qatari Prime Minister
Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani said Thursday. The rival groups boarded a
Qatar Airways plane for the trip to Doha, Voice of Lebanon radio
reported.
Hezbollah won a key concession before the agreement to go to
Qatar. Its militia, along with allied gunmen, assaulted west Beirut
May 7 to stop Prime Minister Fouad Siniora from probing the group's
communication network and sacking the airport security chief for
alleged links with the movement.
On Wednesday the government revoked the decision after the
decision sparked deadly clashes in the country that killed 82 people
in six days.
Meanwhile, talks aimed at ending Lebanon's protracted political
crisis opened in Qatar on Friday.
Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani addressed rival
Lebanese leaders at the opening session of the Doha talks and
welcomed the Lebanese leaders and hoped for peace and security for
the country.
'Let us deal with matters calmly at the dialogue table. Each one
of us and them must offer concessions to bury strife,' Walid
Jumblatt, a key majority leader said upon arrival in Doha.
'The atmosphere is very positive,' House Speaker Nabih Berri, a
key member of the opposition told reporters in Doha.
IranianMay 16th, 2008 - 21:31:58
...Fouad Seniora will not meet with US President George W Bush in Egypt...
He will talk to him later at night. It's not good for his image to be seen with anybody right now. He has been a failure regardless of whatever Bush administration had offered during the last three years. Americans are fed up with him. They need a new face.
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