LEBANON: Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa renewed efforts to end lebanese political standoff as opposition protest goes into twentieth day

Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa renewed efforts on Tuesday (December 20) to end a political standoff in Lebanon, which many fear could turn violent as the country faces its worst political split since the 1975-1990 civil war. "I don't think that there is a dead end," Moussa said after arriving in Beirut. He met leaders of all the main factions last week and reported progress but no breakthrough. "We are trying to clarify some points of views and some essential issues," Moussa added. Anti-Syrian leaders who control the government, backed by the United States, are being challenged by an opposition led by Syrian-backed Hezbollah, which wants veto power in the cabinet. Opposition ministers quit the cabinet last month when talks on giving them more seats collapsed and an opposition protest in central Beirut entered its 19th day on Tuesday. Thousands of opposition supporters wearing the yellow, green and orange of the main factions gathered for an evening rally metres (yards) from the offices of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. The opposition has declared the government illegitimate and on Monday raised its demands by calling for early parliamentary elections. Hezbollah deputy leader Sheikh Naim Kassem, whose group is also backed by Iran, told Reuters on Tuesday it was up to the governing coalition to respond to Moussa's proposals. Later, Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema arrived in Beirut to hold talks with Lebanese officials and to meet Italian troops. D'Alema met Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and discussed the latest political issues in Lebanon. Italy is the leading contributor to the expanding UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, with 2,500 troops . Italian troops have been stationed in the south and took security control with Lebanese army and other UNIFIL troops of the south of Lebanon after Israel formally pulled out of the region.

ITN Source | December 21, 2006

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