No Unity on Lebanese Government

(10 Sep 09 - RV) Lebanese prime minister-designate Saad al-Hariri said today he was stepping down after more than 10 weeks of trying to form a unity government with opposition groups including Hezbollah.


His announcement comes after the Syria- and Iran-backed Hezbollah and its allies rejected a draft government proposed by Hariri this week.


President Michel Suleiman is expected to call for a new round of consultations with lawmakers to nominate a new prime minister.


Professor of political science at St Jospeh’s University Beirut, Kalil Karam, told Emer McCarthy that Lebanon could be heading for a cabinet of technocrats: