Sfeir brushes off U.S. accusations he is stirring sectarian strife

Patriarch lashes out at Lebanon's MPs saying they failed their duty to pass a new electoral law

By Leila Hatoum , Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir brushed off U.S. accusations that he was "whipping up sectarian sentiments" following his criticism of Lebanon's electoral law and launched a fresh attack on the legal framework for the upcoming elections.

Following his insistence that the current electoral law "violates Christian Muslim coexistence," which drew a sharp rebuke from the White House, who accused the patriarch of  increasing sectarian tension by "adding fuel to the fire," Sfeir said yesterday that the law failed to "satisfy anyone."

Syria, Egypt stress need to maintain unity of Lebanon

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (AFP) - Egypt and Syria stressed the need to preserve the unity of Lebanon, cautioning against moves that could increase sectarian tensions in the country.

The call came after talks in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad, making his first visit to Egypt since Syria withdrew its troops from Lebanon.

"Concern now should be focused on guaranteeing Lebanon does not slide back into sectarian divisions that bring to mind an era that nobody desires," Egyptian presidential spokesman Suleiman Awad told reporters on Thursday.

Lebanon opposition to set up committee to save polls - News Update

BEIRUT (AFP) - Lebanon's anti-Syrian opposition agreed to draft joint lists to bolster Christian representation in legislative polls later this month, in a bid to patch up differences that threatened the elections.

The move came a day after the powerful Maronite Church warned that a Syrian-tailored 2000 electoral law used in the last polls would marginalize the large minority of Christians and upset Lebanon's delicate religious co-existence.

"We have decided to call a meeting of the heads of opposition factions to draft joint electoral lists ... to contain the flaws of the (2000 electoral) law imposed by the Syrian-Lebanese security authorities," a statement said.

The opposition also accused Syria, which officially completed a troop withdrawal from Lebanon April 26, of "continuing to intervene in Lebanon ... through allies in order to jeopardize the democratic process" in the country.

Lebanon opposition in crucial talks to save polls

BEIRUT (AFP) - Lebanon's anti-Syrian opposition met for crucial talks ahead of disputed polls later this month, amid growing rifts and warnings from the Maronite Church over constituency boundaries and calls for elections to be delayed.

The meeting, which opened mid-morning, was marred by the absence of key opposition figures like Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and Sunni candidate Saadeddin Hariri, the son of slain prime minister Rafiq Hariri.

Christian heavyweights such as hardliner Michel Aoun and former president Amine Gemayel also failed to attend the meeting which was expected to adopt a common strategy for the four-stage elections due to start May 29.

"The opposition will end up by agreeing on a solution that satisfies everyone," Christian MP Nassib Lahud told AFP on the sidelines of the meeting.