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Beirut: Lebanon's president yesterday said he would appoint an interim government headed by the army chief if rival Lebanese leaders cannot agree on a new head of state before his term expires in November.
President Emile Lahoud's remark raised the stakes in a deep political conflict in the country.
Such a step by Lahoud, who has already hinted he could appoint a new cabinet, would result in two governments, assuming army commander Michel Sulaiman were to accept the job, analysts said. There was no immediate word from Sulaiman.
"The government which is still standing and which is unconstitutional ... cannot assume power if the election of a president of the republic is not possible," said Lahoud, in reference to the cabinet of Prime Minister Fouad Sinora.
A president must be elected by parliament with the two-thirds quorum required for the vote, Lahoud said.
"If that doesn't happen ... the leader of the army will come for an interim period as head of the government, with a clear mission to lay down a [parliamentary] electoral law acceptable to all," he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, opposition MP Boutros Hareb yesterday announced his candidacy for Lebanon's presidency, calling for renewed national dialogue and reconciliation with powerful neighbour Syria.
Hareb said he would help end Lebanon's 10-month political paralysis between the parliamentary majority of Siniora and the opposition, led by Hezbollah.
"My candidacy is linked to the consensus between both parties," Hareb told a news conference in parliament, where he also called for an "honourable solution" to demands for the disarmament of Hezbollah.
Hareb, the first person to officially announce his candidacy, said: "If I am elected president of the republic, I shall open up dialogue at the presidential palace and I will preside over it."
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