By NNN-KUNA,
Beirut : Renewing support for Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s overtures to end the long-standing presidential crisis, leader of the Lebanese ruling Future Movement Saad Al-Hariri said that Lebanon has a genuine chance to elect its president on May 13.
“We always support dialogue and have never rebuffed it,” Al-Hariri said in statements to the press here Monday.
“We had gone to each dialogue mediated by Chairman Berri,” he said.
Berri, also chairman of the opposition Shiite Amal Movement, has slated May 13 as the new date for the presidential vote in a bid to resolve the six-month stalemate. The vote was postponed for 18 times since Lebanon plunged into a state of presidential vacuum following the expirty of former president Emile Lahoud’s term in office on Nov 24, 2007.
“If we decide to go to the new dialogue, we need to make sure that a new head of state will be elected on May 13.
“The previous dialogues made good gains for Lebanon as a whole and ironed out several disputable issues,” Al-Hariri said.
Asked on the timing of the coming dialogue, he said: “It will be very soon, God willing.”
Al-Hariri, who has been on a two-month overseas trip, is scheduled to meet several leaders of the coalition partners and religious leaders in response to Berri’s call.
Although the ruling and opposition parties are unanimous on electing the army chief, General Michel Suleiman, as the new head of state, they disagree on a package of reforms being pushed by the opposition.