Last update - 00:00 19/01/2008
Arab League head discusses crisis in Lebanon with Syria's Assad
By The Associated Press
The head of the Arab League on Saturday discussed an Arab plan to solve the 15-month Lebanese political crisis with Syria's President Bashar Assad, saying a solution could be reached soon.
Neighboring Syria is a key player in Lebanon, backing the country's Hezbollah-led opposition against Prime Minister Fuad Saniora's government, which is supported by Western countries including the United States.
Moussa arrived in Syria Friday after three days of crisis talks with Lebanese politicians. Lebanon has been without a president since November, and many fear that the political crisis - the worst since the end of the country's 1975-90 civil war - might degenerate into street violence if no solution is found soon.
"I can't say that we have reached a solution formula," Moussa told reporters. But he added: "I think that we are on the road, moving step by step." He said that a solution to the deepening crisis could be reached soon.
Moussa's recent efforts led to a meeting between parliament majority leader Saad Hariri and Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun in Beirut on Thursday, the first between the two in several months. More talks are expected when Moussa returns from Syria.
The Arab plan, adopted by Arab foreign ministers in Egypt on Jan. 5, calls for the election of army commander, Gen. Michel Suleiman, as president, the formation of a national unity government and the adoption of a new election law.
Parliament has failed several times to elect a president in the past weeks, and the legislature is to make its 13th attempt on Monday.
Following his hour-long meeting with Assad, Moussa said he is neither optimistic or pessimistic. "We're still working," he said.
The state-run Syrian news agency SANA said Assad and Moussa also discussed arrangements for the next Arab summit, scheduled to be held in Damascus in March.
Moussa also met Syrian Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem.
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