Lebanon's Anti-Syrian Parliament Set to Reelect Pro-Damascus Speaker

[Gloria]

From the new World Media Watch up not at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical
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1//The Daily Star, Lebanon Monday, June 27,2005

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=16271



LEBANON’S ANTI-SYRIAN PARLIAMENT SET TO RE-ELECT PRO-DAMASCUS SPEAKER

By Majdoline Hatoum and Nafez Qawas
Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: Lebanon's newly elected anti-Syrian Parliament is set to re-elect leading pro-Damascus politician Nabih Berri as its speaker when Parliament convenes for the first time since the election on Tuesday. Saad Hariri's Future Movement bloc, the single largest opposition grouping in Parliament last night declared its intention to vote for Berri virtually guaranteeing his re-election.



The appointment of a new speaker was seen as the first important test of the new Parliament's commitment to reform.



Many people believe Berri is too closely associated with the former pro-Syrian regime and should be replaced.



His re-election means that along with the continuation of President Emile Lahoud's as head of state, two of the three main offices of state in Lebanon will remain in the hands of two men who were strong supporters of Syria's role in Lebanon.

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