(New York Times) Damascus appears on the brink of forcing through a constitutional amendment in Lebanon - widely opposed both locally and abroad - that will keep its handpicked president in office past the end of his designated term. The Lebanese cabinet met under Syrian pressure on Saturday to approve allowing President Emile Lahoud, a favorite of the Syrian government, to stand for re-election to a three-year term, a move forbidden by Lebanon's Constitution, which mandates just a single six-year term for any president. The move is sharply opposed by the U.S.
2004-08-31 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive