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Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Omar Karami
talks to the media announcing that he cannot form a Cabinet, a move
that deepens Lebanon's political crisis and could effectively
undermine legislative elections next month, in Beirut, Wednesday,
April 13, 2005.(AP)
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Lebanon's pro-Syrian prime minister stepped down on Wednesday,
abandoning efforts to form a government to lead the country to general
elections, but said there was still time to hold the poll as expected in
May.
Prime Minister Omar al-Karami's resignation seemed
to make timely elections more unlikely and deepened the political crisis
triggered by the February assassination
of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.
Karami, who has now quit twice in six weeks, said he had hit a wall in
trying to form a cabinet, whose main task would be to supervise the
elections which the United States and United Nations say must go ahead on
time.
"We have once
again reached a dead end," Karami told reporters. "That is why I have
invited you today to present my resignation."
An official said President Emile Lahoud would hold consultations with
lawmakers on Friday to designate a new prime minister. Pro-Syrian MPs are
a majority in the assembly and the new prime minister is expected to be a
Damascus ally.
Political sources have said the elections could be pushed back by weeks
or months by the delay in forming a government. But Karami said there was
still time for the poll to be held.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she saw Karami's
resignation as "an opportunity to move forward."
"Further delays are unnecessary. ... We expect the
consultative process required to form a new cabinet will take place
immediately," she said in Washington, reiterating
the White House call for elections by the end of
May.
A State Department official who asked not to be identified said the
Bush administration was concerned a political stalemate could interfere
with Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon and the relinquishing of power by
pro-Syrian politicians.
"Our worry is that all kinds of people would like to find an excuse to
not do this, to not withdraw, to not have the election. So at every
juncture we want to be very vocal on how the fact is that it is doable and
must be done," he said.
Lebanese opposition accuse pro-Syrian officials of trying to delay the
vote, in which the opposition is expected to benefit from popular sympathy
over Harari's killing.
(Agencies) | 
Updated: 2005-04-14 14:14
