http://www.isn.ethz.ch/news/sw/details.cfm?ID=11106
Lebanese PM resigns again ISN SECURITY WATCH (14/04/05) - Lebanon's pro-Syrian prime minister, Omar Karami, abandoned efforts to form a new government on Wednesday and formally announced his resignation to the press in Beirut. Speaking on Lebanon's National Unity Day, Karami said he had "reached a dead end" and would not accept a third appointment as prime minister. Karami was designated prime minister for the second time on 10 March, after pro-Syrian demonstrations had given the battered regime - accused of taking its orders from Damascus - an infusion of new hope. He had resigned less than two weeks earlier after anti-Syrian demonstrations in the wake of the 14 February assassination of former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri. Karami's efforts were aimed at forming a broad-based national unity government that would include members of the opposition. Wednesday's resignation was a result of disagreements within Karami's own pro-Syrian Ain al-Tineh coalition. Karami said he would leave the coalition. Karami's resignation speech is widely viewed as criticism of President Emile Lahoud's handling of the crisis. Lebanon's pro-Syrian president is now expected to consult the parliament and make a new attempt at forming a government to oversee elections scheduled for May. The opposition has promised to resort to street demonstrations if elections are delayed due to the political impasse. The opposition view Karami's repeated failures to form a cabinet as a delaying tactic to put the electoral process on hold in the absence of a legitimate government. "If I were to accept a third designation, I would be proving them [the opposition] right," an incensed Karami told reporters on Wednesday, adding that he "couldn't care less" about political developments and the crucial issue of the next election date. The most likely candidates to follow Karami are Economics Minister Adnan Qassar, former prime minister Rashid Sol, former transport minister Nagib Mikati, and Abdel Rahim Mrad. Mikati has repeatedly vowed to dismiss the country's top security officials, a condition for the opposition to take part in the formation of a new government. Mrad, a staunch pro-Syrian ally, lacks credibility with the opposition. Karami's current cabinet will remain as a caretaker government until a new government is formed. (By Claudio Franco in Beirut) » ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Take a look at donorschoose.org, an excellent charitable web site for anyone who cares about public education! http://us.click.yahoo.com/_OLuKD/8WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
