By Xinhua,
Beirut : Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora on Wednesday called on all factions to work together to “heal wounds” induced in a long political crisis and start a new era of understanding.
Seniora, who was designated to form a new government, said in a statement that he would work within the framework of the constitution and his hands are stretched for cooperation with all parties in the interest of the nation.
“The Doha agreement calls for the formation of a national unity government and I will follow the agreement,” Seniora said, adding that he was looking forward to establishing cordial relations with all countries including Syria.
Expressing pleasure to cooperate with new President Michel Suleiman, Seniora, prime minister since July 2005, pledged for the implementation of UN resolutions and cooperation with the international community.
Earlier on Wednesday after being informed by parliament of their choice, Suleiman appointed 65-year-old Fouad Seniora, who got 68 votes out of 127 lawmakers, to head the next government.
The constitution requires the president, who was elected by parliament on Sunday, to appoint the candidate supported by the largest number of lawmakers to be the prime minister, a post must be filled by a Sunni according to Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing system.
Lebanese pro and anti-government politicians reached an agreement in the Qatari capital of Doha on May 21, ending the 18-month-long political deadlock in the country which turned violent earlier this month.
The first phase of the agreement led to the election of Suleiman as president on Sunday after six months of presidential vacuum. The second step is to form a national unity government in which the Hezbollah-led opposition is guaranteed 11 seats in a new cabinet of 30, a veto power it long demanded.
Feuding Lebanese political groups also agreed to adopt the 1960electoral law under the Doha accord.
Lebanon is facing the most complicated political crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war, as political rivals had been unable to achieve a breakthrough to elect a new president for the country since Nov. 24 last year when ex-president Emile Lahoud ended his term.