Lebanese Presidential Vote Postponed Again
By VOA News
20 November 2007
Political sources in Lebanon say the country's presidential election has been postponed until Friday, to give rival political factions more time to agree on a candidate.
Voting in parliament had been planned for Wednesday. The latest delay is the fourth time voting has been postponed to give the rival sides time to find a candidate.
The pro-Western governing coalition and the Hezbollah-led opposition are at odds over who will succeed pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, whose term ends Friday night.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner is in Lebanon trying to mediate a deal. After a meeting Monday with parliamentary majority leader Saad al-Hariri, Kouchner expressed some optimism that an agreement could still be reached.
Lebanon's government has threatened to use its simple parliamentary majority to elect one of its own members if the factions do not agree on a candidate.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited Lebanon last week and called on leaders there to set aside their differences and elect a new president.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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