December 08, 2007	Saturday	Ziqa'ad 27, 1428

BEIRUT, Dec 7: A parliamentary session to elect a new president in Lebanon was postponed on Friday for a seventh time, with a new date set for Tuesday, amid continued wrangling between pro- and anti-Syrian camps.

“Parliament speaker Nabih Berri has decided to postpone today’s session to Tuesday, December 11 at 12 noon (1000 GMT),” a spokesman for Berri told reporters after MPs had gathered in parliament under tight security.

It was the seventh postponement since Sept 25 of a vote in parliament to elect a successor to Emile Lahoud, who stepped down at the end of his mandate two weeks ago with no agreement on his successor.

The ruling western-backed majority and Hezbollah-led opposition have agreed in principle to give the post to army chief Michel Sleiman but they are bickering on how to amend the constitution to allow for his election and over the make-up of a new cabinet.

MP Robert Ghanem said that after the session was delayed that he believes the vote might finally go through next Tuesday if both sides reach agreement on a power-sharing deal.—AFP