Zasypkin Hails Efforts for Consensus by Lebanese Officials

Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin praised on Wednesday Lebanese officials for seeking to find common ground over disputed matters, expressing optimism over the situation in the country.

“This is a good start,” Zasypkin told reporters after holding talks with caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour at the Bustros Palace.

He called on officials to exert extensive efforts to bridge the gap between the March 14 and 8 rival parties.

The diplomat expressed hope that officials would have a strong political will to reach the most adequate solutions to all.

Over the weekend, Beirut MP Tammam Salam was tasked by President Michel Suleiman to form the new cabinet after he received the support of 124 out of 128 MPs.

The government of caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati resigned on March 22 over several controversial issues.

The rival parties have so far failed to agree on an electoral draft-law after the leaders and representatives of the Free Patriotic Movement, the Lebanese Forces, the Phalange Party and the Marada Movement agreed to suspend the Orthodox Gathering proposal, leaving the door open for rival MPs to strike a deal on a new electoral draft-law.

The proposal, which had been severely rejected by centrist Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat's bloc, al-Mustaqbal movement, March 14 independent MPs, President Michel Suleiman and Miqati, considers Lebanon a single district and allows each sect to vote for its own MPs under a proportional presentational system.