PM Rafik Hariri, resigns after weeks of speculation about the fate
of his government, amid a political crisis triggered by intense
international pressure on Syria over its influence in Lebanon's
political affairs. Four ministers had already resigned last month in
protest against the controversial extension of Pres Emile Lahoud's
mandate for three years, which was voted in by parliament last month.
The extension was seen as the result of blatant Syrian political
interference. Hariri's resignation was accepted by Lahoud during a
brief meeting at the presidential palace. "After the talks I held
with the president of the republic and the parliament speaker, I found
it suitable to present the government's resignation. And I
apologise for not nominating myself to head the (next) government",
he said. The departure of Hariri, who has headed five governments, casts
a cloud over the economic health of the country. A billionaire Sunni
Muslim, he has been the driving force behind Lebanon's
reconstruction since the civil war ended in 1991. He is credited with
helping to put the country back on the map by rebuilding the Beirut
central district and giving the country a state-of-the-art airport, as
well a modern road infrastructure. Although his record is mixed he is
blamed for saddling the country with a public debt of $32 bn (26bn,
[pounds sterling]18bn) because of his borrow-and-build scheme his
presence attracts investors and reassures creditors. His resignation
comes at time when his extensive contacts in the world of politics and
business he is close to the Saudi royal family and French president
Jacques Chirac could have helped Lebanon weather the storm caused by the
extension of Lahoud's term. The UN Security Council adopted a
resolution in September urging Syria to end its political meddling in
Lebanon's affairs and withdraw 15,000 troops stationed there. The
council reiterated that message on Oct 19 in a statement which was
adopted unanimously by the council. Syria and Lebanon have strongly
rejected the UN resolution and statement as interference in their
internal affairs. Lahoud has asked the government to stay on as a
caretaker cabinet. He will start consultations on Oct 21 with MPs to
select a new PM. Those MPs who voted against the extension of his term
have threatened not take part in the consultations, however, which would
leave him a relatively free hand to select a premier of his choice. The
government has been paralysed by the stand-off between the
president's Syrian political backers and opponents of Syria's
domination of Lebanon. Hariri had threatened to resign in August if the
president, a political rival, stayed in power. But after talks in
Damascus with the Syrian president Bashar Al Assad, he gave his seal of
approval to the extension Lahoud's mandate. It now appears the two
men have failed to find a way to work together and agree on a new
cabinet. In 1998, after six years in power, Hariri also resigned because
of a clash with Lahoud. He returned to power in 2000 after a landslide parliamentary election victory. Lebanon is to hold parliamentary
elections in May.
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