Lebanese political leaders say party talks fail

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Rival Lebanese politicians failed to reach agreement Saturday when they returned to the negotiating table Saturday, a day after the government received a draft document setting up an international tribunal to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Politicians emerged from the meeting, with some saying the talks failed to achieve a breakthrough. In a sign of worsening tensions, Christian leader Michel Aoun said the talks had failed to produce an agreement and that no date for another round of talks was set. "The session was adjourned without assigning a new date for another round of talks," Aoun told reporters in a terse statement. "We failed to reach an agreement or understanding and consequently we left (the talks)," said Butros Harb, a Christian legislator.