Hezbollah Backs Karami for Premier as Lebanon Political Deadlock Deepens

[Joanne98]

Source: Bloomberg

The Shiite Muslim Hezbollah movement and its allies may nominate Omar Karami to head Lebanon’s next government, after they toppled the coalition led by Saad Hariri last week.

Hezbollah spokesman Ibrahim el-Moussawi said by text message today that Karami’s nomination was “likely.” Ali Hamdan, an adviser to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, confirmed that Karami is the probable candidate in a phone interview. President Michel Suleiman will begin talks with lawmakers on Jan. 24 to designate a new prime minister, after today announcing a one-week delay.

Suleiman said he postponed the consultation “after assessing the position of the various Lebanese parties, and in order to secure the national interest,” according to a statement from the presidential palace. The leaders of Syria, Turkey and Qatar are meeting in Damascus today seeking a solution to the crisis.

Hezbollah and its allies brought down Hariri’s government on Jan. 12 when they withdrew from his national unity coalition over a United Nations inquiry into the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri, Saad Hariri’s father. The Shiite group has demanded that the probe be canceled, saying it is biased and instigated by the U.S. to target Hezbollah.



Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-17/hezbollah-may-nominate-omar-karami-for-lebanon-prime-minister.html