P 231316Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0295
INFO ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS BEIRUT 001845 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/GAVITO/HARDING 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON:  SESSION TO ELECT A NEW PRESIDENT ADJOURNED TO 
NOVEMBER 30 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) On November 23, the Lebanese Parliament failed to elect a 
new president, even with the looming expiration of President 
Lahoud's extended mandate, which expires on midnight of November 23. 
 Some 109 parliamentarians of 127 showed up in Parliament, but only 
66 parliamentarians were present inside the Chamber.  The session 
was quickly adjourned, and Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri 
announced that another session was scheduled for November 30. 
 
¶2.  (U) Deputy Speaker of Parliament Farid Makkari, on behalf of the 
March 14 alliance, read a prepared statement in which he indicated 
that the majority is "committed to the requirements of national 
stability and will neither take a position that will threaten 
stability nor will it give up on its constitutional right to elect a 
new president."  He also indicated that a boycott of the session 
would represent a clear violation of the Constitution. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Prior to the postponement of the session, majority leader 
MP Saad Hariri and Druze leader Walid Jumblatt met separately with 
Speaker Berri at his office.  This is the first meeting between 
Jumblatt and Berri for more than a year.  Minister of Information 
Ghazi Aridi, a Jumblatt ally, told us that the meeting was brief and 
the discussion focused on preserving the security and stability of 
the country.  Following the meeting Jumblatt made a public statement 
which emphasized consensus and expressed his commitment to the 
Lebanese Constitution. 
FELTMAN