Middle East

Lebanon's new president to form government of national unity

Article published on the 2008-05-26 Latest update 2008-05-26 18:55 TU

Michel Sleiman's swearing-in ceremony in Beirut
(Photo : Reuters)

Lebanon's new president Michel Sleiman has taken office after a swearing-in ceremony in the parliament in Beirut on Sunday. He was greeted with a 21-gun salute Monday as he entered the Baabda presidential palace, vacant for the last six months. The lack of a head of state, the feuding political parties had left a vacuum that had sent Lebanon to the brink of civil war.

President Michel Sleiman's office said consultations with the various political blocs in parliament will begin on Wednesday,with a view to forming a new 30-member cabinet. In his inaugural speech on Sunday, Sleiman appealed for unity and national dialogue, a speech which was endorsed by Lebanese parties. The Lebanese press generally welcomed his speech calling it a roadmap for the reconciliation of the Western-backed parliamentary majority and the Hezbollah-led opposition. The political stand off between the two had degenerated into sectarian violence in early May, and more than sixty-five people were killed. But some opposition papers were less positive about Sleiman's speech and wrote that it was aimed at pleasing everyone without broaching key issues.

Under an agreement reached by the government and the opposition in Qatar last week, the Lebanese government of national unity will give the opposition veto power.  The parliamentary majority will have 16 seats in the new cabinet, the opposition will have 11. The remaining three ministers will be appointed by Sleiman.

Meanwhile US President George W. Bush said he looked forward to "an era of political reconciliation" in Lebanon. Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, whose country provided the main foreign backing to the opposition alongside Iran, told Sleiman that Damascus was "at Lebanon's side." Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki also welcomed the election. 

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