Region | Lebanon

Sulaiman to pick PM on Wednesday

Lebanese President Michel Sulaiman will appoint a prime minister tomorrow to head a new cabinet that will be formed as part of an agreement to end 18 months of political conflict.

  • Reuters
  • Published: 00:59 May 27, 2008
  • Gulf News

Beirut: Lebanese President Michel Sulaiman will appoint a prime minister tomorrow to head a new cabinet that will be formed as part of an agreement to end 18 months of political conflict.

Sulaiman, who took office today, one day after his election by parliament, will consult lawmakerson Tuesday on their choice for prime minister, a statement from the presidency said. He will ask the candidate nominated by most MPs to form the next government.

The parliamentary majority is expected to nominate its leader, Sa'ad Hariri or current prime minister, Fouad Siniora, to lead the new cabinet.

Qatar last week mediated the agreement between the ruling coalition and the opposition defusing a crisis that had caused the worst civil strife since Lebanon's 1975-90 war.

The Doha deal gave the opposition effective veto power in the cabinet - one of its main demands.

Sulaiman, whose election was part of the agreement, has won public backing from the United States, and Iran and Syria.

US President George W. Bush congratulated Sulaiman on his election in a telephone call and invited him to Washington for talks. "President Bush reiterated his commitment to the government of Lebanon and to a strong and modern Lebanese Armed Forces," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said his country had played an active role in encouraging the Doha talks.

"We are very happy to see that the Doha dialogue has yielded benefit," he told reporters in Beirut.

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