US House wants pro-Syrian officials out of Lebanon

May 24 , 2005

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US House of Representatives adopted a resolution calling for free elections in Lebanon and the departure of Syrian intelligence agents, as Damascus' soldiers have already left.

"The elections scheduled to begin on May 29 mark a very important moment, but it is only the beginning of a journey toward full sovereignty and free democratic governance," Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen said.

The vote came on the heels of an announcement by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan that a UN mission to Lebanon had verified the full withdrawal of Syrian troops.

The withdrawal complies with UN Security Council Resolution 1559, adopted in September, which demands the disarmament and dismantlement of all militias, as well as the Lebanese government's full exercise of sovereignty over the entire national territory.

Lebanon's opposition remain divided over election alliances

By Majdoline Hatoum , May 24, 2005

BEIRUT: With less than a week to polling day, Lebanon's political opposition remains hopelessly divided over whether it will join forces to fight this month's crucial elections.

Despite a late night meeting between Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement and representatives of Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and Future Movement head Saad Hariri, agreement between the country's opposition politicians remained as far away as ever.

FPM spokesman Tony Nasrallah told The Daily Star that Aoun gave the delegation a list of demands he expects to be answered before a news conference he will be holding today at 10 a.m.

Nasrallah said: "We expect an answer to the list in the few upcoming hours. And in any case, Aoun will hold his press conference and announce the FPM's electoral lists and alliances."

The FPM refused to say what Aoun's demands are, but it is understood that the main problem standing in the way of an agreement between Aoun and Jumblatt is the Druze leader's insistence on limiting Aoun's nomination of candidates in any unified electoral list.