Gulf | Saudi Arabia
GCC backs Qatar bid to end Lebanon crisis
The leaders of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries on Tuesday reaffirmed their support for Qatar's efforts to resolve the political crisis, which brought Lebanon to the brink of civil war.
- Gulf News Report
- Published: 00:15 May 21, 2008
- Image Credit: WAM
- Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other leaders during their GCC consultative summit.
Dubai: The leaders of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries on Tuesday reaffirmed their support for Qatar's efforts to resolve the political crisis, which brought Lebanon to the brink of civil war.
The protracted deadlock was among the topics up for discussion at the 10th Consultative Council meeting of GCC leaders in Dammam, which was held under the chairmanship of Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar.
In Doha, Qatari officials exerted more pressure on Tuesday on Lebanese opposition leader Michel Aoun to accept one of two proposals aimed at resolving the crisis.
The opposition, led by Hezbollah and the US-supported ruling coalition have been given until today to accept or reject the proposals, forwarded by lead mediator Qatari Prime Minister Shaikh Hamad Bin Jasem Al Thani.
"One of the sides asked for one extra day to respond to these proposals ... and the committee agreed to give a one day deadline till tomorrow [Wednesday]," Qatar's minister of state for foreign affairs Ahmad Abdullah Al Mahmoud told reporters.
Pro-government delegates in Qatar blamed the opposition for the delay and said the ruling coalition accepted both proposals to overcome disagreements on sharing power in a national unity government and changes to an electoral law.
"We are not the party that asked for the postponement," government minister Ahmad Fatfat told Al Jazeera television.
An agreement on both issues would pave the way for parliament to elect army chief General Michel Sulaiman as president. The rivals were at a deadlock over the electoral division of Beirut - the bedrock of support for Sa'ad Hariri, leader of the ruling coalition.
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