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Skill to create solutions needed badly in Lebanon

Filed under: Middle East

Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Sfeir announced yesterday that he is not against amending the constitution if the purpose was to rescue Lebanon. He told As Safir, "We are living in the heart of the danger, and when we talk about two governments, two presidents and two Lebanons, then we are in danger." He also said that if General Suleiman is the only available solution then he is all for it.

Meanwhile, the member of the Future coalition minister Ahmad Fatfat expects that a new president will be elected in November before the end of the term of president Emile Lahoud which ends on 24 November. Fatfat said "I believe we will have a new president in November. Maybe the elections will not take place on the 25 September but it will be a great achievement if the elections take place then."

The Lebanese parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri told Asharq Al Awsat that dialog and consensus are a must if a solution is to be found for the current stalemate situation. He said "the two thirds quorum is a reality now. All those who think of electing a president without the participation of the other faction, whether in the opposition or the majority team, are mistaken. This issue has been bypassed by history". He added, "in any case, no one knows who possesses the majority of 65 seats in the parliament any more". In what seemed to be a response to MP Walid Jumblatt statements, Berri replied without naming him that "those who went back to the quorum of a normal majority are weakening their own positions and trying to get reborn again"

Whether it will be the normal quorum of half plus one to elect a President as Jumblatt suggests or the two thirds quorum as Berri, Sheikh Nasrallah et comp want as long as the leaders are still meeting and speaking to each other there is hope. If and when that door closes we should expect to see worst coming to life in Lebanon.

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