Arab League chief fails to break Lebanese election deadlock

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The head of the Arab League said Friday that he was leaving Lebanon after failing to get feuding Lebanese factions to agree on an Arab plan to elect a new president and end the country's deepening political crisis. After two days of talks with leaders from the pro-government and opposition factions, Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said more discussions are needed before an agreement could be reached to break the presidential deadlock, which has entered its third month. Lawmakers on both sides have agreed to back Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as a compromise candidate, but the parliament must first amend the constitution to allow a sitting military chief to become president. This process has been complicated by the opposition's demand for a new unity government that would give it veto power over major decisions. Opposition boycotts have thwarted attempts to choose a president by preventing a two-thirds quorum.