In The Days

• Source: IHT
• News Date: 11/12/07

WASHINGTON: U.S. President George W. Bush spoke with Lebanon’s Western-backed prime minister, the White House said Monday, and told him that Lebanon should be able to elect a government free from interference by Syria.

“The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.”
—Isaiah 17:1

“Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.”
—Zechariah 11:1

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Bush, in his talk with Fuad Saniora, also “reconfirmed our position that elections must happen on time and according to Lebanon’s constitution.”

“And (Bush) said that he looks forward to working closely with a president that is upholding Lebanon’s international obligations,” she said.

Rival factions in Lebanon are deadlocked over the choice of candidates, two weeks before pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud must step down. Lebanon’s parliament speaker postponed the elections on Saturday for a third time to give the deadlocked factions more time to come up with a compromise candidate.

A September session failed to reach quorum because of an opposition boycott, and an October attempt was postponed.

A flurry of diplomatic activity reflects the worry that failure to elect a president could result in rival governments or a dangerous power vacuum.