Rival Lebanese political leaders stepped up their dialogue yesterday trying to reach an agreement on a new president and prevent the country from sliding deeper into a crisis that threatens its unity.
The discussions between the pro-government and opposition camps began immediately after Parliament failed Tuesday to elect a president because of a boycott by the Hezbollah-led opposition.
Since then, the leader of the pro-government majority in Parliament, Saad Hariri, has met three times with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who is aligned with the opposition - their first meetings in months. Yesterday, Hariri held talks with Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir, head of the influential Maronite Catholic Church.
Under Lebanon's sectarian-based political system, the president traditionally hails from the Maronite community, which makes up the largest sect among the minority Christians.
The presidential choice has been deadlocked amid the power struggle between the anti-Syrian majority coalition, led by US-backed Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, and the opposition, led by the Shiite Muslim militant group Hezbollah that is backed by Syria and Iran.
Failure to reach a compromise by the time President Emile Lahoud, a pro-Syrian, steps down November 24 threatens the spark the most serious political crisis since the end of the 1v975-90 civil war: the creation of two rival governments, one backed by Saniora's coalition, the other by the opposition.
Anti-Syrian politicians are seeking to put one of their own in the post, but the opposition has vowed to block any candidate it doesn't endorse. Talks have focused on trying to find a neutral figure - a rarity in Lebanon's deeply polarized politics.
But there are concerns among many, particularly in the majority coalition, that a neutral candidate would be weak and unable to bring the parties together.
"We want a president who is strong, who has political standing and understands the Lebanese issues," Hariri said after meeting Sfeir.
More than 15 declared or undeclared candidates are vying for the post, three of them members of the pro-government camp and one from the opposition.
Some have touted the respected head of the military General Michel Suleiman or central bank governor Riad Salameh as possible compromises.
The discussions between the pro-government and opposition camps began immediately after Parliament failed Tuesday to elect a president because of a boycott by the Hezbollah-led opposition.
Since then, the leader of the pro-government majority in Parliament, Saad Hariri, has met three times with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who is aligned with the opposition - their first meetings in months. Yesterday, Hariri held talks with Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir, head of the influential Maronite Catholic Church.
Under Lebanon's sectarian-based political system, the president traditionally hails from the Maronite community, which makes up the largest sect among the minority Christians.
The presidential choice has been deadlocked amid the power struggle between the anti-Syrian majority coalition, led by US-backed Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, and the opposition, led by the Shiite Muslim militant group Hezbollah that is backed by Syria and Iran.
Failure to reach a compromise by the time President Emile Lahoud, a pro-Syrian, steps down November 24 threatens the spark the most serious political crisis since the end of the 1v975-90 civil war: the creation of two rival governments, one backed by Saniora's coalition, the other by the opposition.
Anti-Syrian politicians are seeking to put one of their own in the post, but the opposition has vowed to block any candidate it doesn't endorse. Talks have focused on trying to find a neutral figure - a rarity in Lebanon's deeply polarized politics.
But there are concerns among many, particularly in the majority coalition, that a neutral candidate would be weak and unable to bring the parties together.
"We want a president who is strong, who has political standing and understands the Lebanese issues," Hariri said after meeting Sfeir.
More than 15 declared or undeclared candidates are vying for the post, three of them members of the pro-government camp and one from the opposition.
Some have touted the respected head of the military General Michel Suleiman or central bank governor Riad Salameh as possible compromises.
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