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Lebanon's Hariri re-designated as PM

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-09-16 22:49

BEIRUT - Lebanon's Saad Hariri was designated again as Prime Minister by President Michel Suleiman on Wednesday, just 6 days after he resigned as his cabinet lineup proposal was rejected by the opposition, a presidential statement said.

Saad al-Hariri in Beirut in this June 29, 2009 file photo. Lebanon's parliament nominated on Wednesday Saad al-Hariri for a second time to form a government, a task complicated by rising tension with his political opponents Hezbollah and its allies. [Agencies]

"The president had conducted consultations with House Speaker, Nabih Berri....Lebanese President summoned MP Saad Hariri, and designated him to form the imminent cabinet," the statement said.

The presidential statement came after Suleiman ended a two-day consultations with members of the Parliament, during which 73 MPs renamed Hariri whereas other 55 did not nominate anyone.

The second son of the assassinated former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, Saad Hariri is the leader of Future Movement and within the west and Saudi-backed majority March 14 Alliance. Hariri will try to form a national unity government for the second time.

Berri and his allies among the Hezbollah-dominant March 8 Alliance refused to name anyone Prime Minister. Berri left the presidential residence without statement after Suleiman informed Hariri the consultations result and his re-designation.

Hariri accused the opposition of blocking the cabinet formation process with unacceptable demands, while the opposition said Hariri's cabinet proposal last week complicated the cabinet crisis.

Another opposition leader, the Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun said after the consultation with Suleiman on Tuesday that the differences with Hariri are still "enormous".