UNITED NATIONS, Dec 21 (KUNA) -- The US on Friday said the Security Council should consider "additional measures" on those blocking the election of a Lebanese President, mentioning Syria by name, with the aim to make them change their stand.
"We believe the Council should be prepared to consider additional measures to incentivize those who are blocking the election of the president to change their stand," US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad told the council in its monthly private meeting on the situation in the Middle East.
In UN language this means "sanctions." His statement came as the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri Friday postponed, for the tenth time, until December 29th a session previously scheduled for tomorrow Saturday to elect a president for the country.
"I want to underscore U.S. concerns that the Lebanese so far have been unable to exercise their democratic right to elect a president. We urge the minority within the opposition in Lebanon, who are blocking the elections, and those outside Lebanon, particularly Syria, who support it, to cease their demands to bring about an election via unconstitutional measures," Khalilzad told the council in a statement distributed here.
"We also urge the Lebanese to elect quickly a new president, in accordance with Lebanon's constitution and without pressure from external actors for a deal comprising other elements of the government's formation," he said.
"I want to make clear, however, that until such time as a new president takes office, the United States has full confidence in, and fully supports, the legitimate Lebanese Government in managing the affairs of the state and the Lebanese Armed Forces in continuing to provide security," he added.
U.S. President George W. Bush on Thursday warned Damascus against interfering in the Lebanese political crisis, saying his patience with its President Bashar al-Assad had run out. (end) sj.bs KUNA 212325 Dec 07NNNN