April 23, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 16, 1429

KUWAIT, April 22: Western-allied Arab and G8 countries meeting in Kuwait on Tuesday urged an end to outside interference in Lebanon and the immediate election of a president to end the worst crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war.

Lebanon’s parliament did not hold a scheduled session to elect a president on Tuesday — the 18th time the chamber has failed to vote due to a political crisis that has paralysed government and left the presidency vacant since November.

France, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and the Arab League met to discuss Lebanon on the sidelines of a meeting on Iraqi security.

Syria was not officially invited.

“We call on all parties inside and outside Lebanon to respect Lebanon’s independence and sovereignty,” the group, calling itself Friends of Lebanon, said in a statement.

“Three years after Syria’s military withdrawal from Lebanon, the time has come for Syria and Lebanon to redefine and normalise ties between these two historically close neighbours in mutual respect for their sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence.”

It also urged them not to use their respective territories to destabilise each other, to agree a shared border and to abide by UN Security Council resolutions dealing with these issues.

Ties between Syria, some Lebanese and Western powers soured after the killing of former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri in 2005. An international probe has implicated Syrian officials.

Syria denies involvement but withdrew its troops from Lebanon in 2005, ending a 29-year sojourn in its smaller neighbour, amid mass protests by Lebanese over the killing.

SYRIAN ANGER Riyadh supports the Beirut governing coalition, along with Western countries including the United States and France. Syria and its ally Iran back the opposition alliance led by Hezbollah. Lebanese rivals have agreed that army chief General Michel Suleiman should fill the presidency, vacant since the term of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud expired five months ago.—Reuters