Assad Opens Process of Selecting Lebanon's New President, Premier

President Assad has begun a 2-week process of sounding out Lebanese political leaders about their choice for new president of Lebanon as well as new prime minister amid media reports in Beirut Monday that Gen. Lahoud and Premier Hariri are bowing out from power together.

Assad opened the process with two separate meetings in the People's Palace in Damascus Sunday with Ex-premier Selim Al Hoss and Public Works Minister Najib Mikati, who is tipped as front-running candidate for the premiership, An Nahar reported Monday morning.

The selection of Hoss and Mikati, both prominent Sunni Muslim politicians, was seen by An Nahar as an indication that Syria is seeking to make up its mind not only on who will be the next president but also who will be the next prime minister.

Both Hoss and Mikati are strongly against tampering with the Lebanese constitution to set the stage for Gen. Lahoud to seek a 3-year extension or a 6-year renewal of his term that expires at midnight of November 23-24, 2004.
Neither Hoss nor Mikati were willing to talk to the press about their meetings with Assad, who has lately abstained from conferring with Lebanese politicians. But An Nahar asserted that the meetings have signaled Assad's decision to come to grips with fast-approaching Lebanese presidential election.

Beirut, Updated 16 Aug 04,