BEIRUT (AFP)–Lebanon’s presidential election was postponed for a ninth time Monday, to December 22, despite intense international efforts to convince rival parties to strike a deal and end a dangerous political vacuum. "The parliament session that was scheduled today has been postponed to Saturday December 22 at 12:30 p.m. (1030 GMT)," Mohamed Ballout, spokesman for parliament speaker Nabih Berri, told reporters.

Simon Abi Ramia, an adviser to Christian opposition leader General Michel Aoun, told AFP earlier that Monday’s session would not go ahead as no agreement had yet been reached on a mechanism to amend the constitution. Mustafa Alloush, a deputy with the majority, told AFP that political negotiations had reached a dead end. "We’re back to square one," he said.

The United States believes that it is time now to elect a new president," said David Welch, the US assistant secretary of state for Near East affairs. "There is no reason for any further delay. "Monday is really the last chance, and France calls on all parties, inside and outside, to ensure that Lebanon can have a president," President Nicholas Sarkozy said. "Those (who) would take the risk of killing off that chance would cut themselves off from a number of countries, first among them France," said Sarkozy, who is due to meet US Secretary of State Condolezza Rice on Monday.