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France, Syria discuss Lebanon vote

Syria agrees with France that rival Lebanese camps should decide on a compromise presidential candidate without outside interference, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told French envoys on Sunday.

Lebanon's presidential election has been delayed until Nov. 12 to allow time for pro- and anti-Syrian groups to find a compromise candidate to succeed pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, whose term expires on Nov. 23.

Agreement on a new president is seen as vital to resolving Lebanon's most serious political crisis since the 1975 to 1990 civil war. It pits the Western-backed, anti-Syrian government against the opposition, led by pro-Syrian Hezbollah.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy's top aide Claude Gueant, the secretary general of the presidency, and national security adviser Jean-David Levitte met with Assad in Damascus, said presidential spokesman David Martinon.

"These talks took place as part of efforts led by France over the past several months to advance the search for a solution to Lebanon's current crisis," Martinon said.

"The discussions focused on Lebanon and need to urge the Lebanese to find a consensus candidate," the official news agency said after Assad met the envoys.

"The views matched that the Lebanese must be allowed to elect their president freely and without outside interference," the Syrian agency said.

HIGHEST RANKING

The two envoys were the highest ranking French officials to visit Syria since the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese premier Rafik al-Hariri, which led to withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon and more Western efforts to isolate the Damascus government.

Sarkozy's office said the visit followed months of French efforts to solve the Lebanon crisis and that elections must be held before Nov. 24, the day after Lahoud's term expires. Lebanon's president is chosen by parliament, not popular vote.

"The Lebanese must have the possibility to choose their next president freely, without external pressure or interference, in a peaceful way and in the strict respect of the Lebanese constitution," spokesman David Martinon said in a statement.

France, which occupied Lebanon and Syria from 1920 to 1946, has been one of the vocal Western critics of alleged Syrian meddling in Lebanon's affairs.

Syria denies the accusations and says stability in neighboring Lebanon is in its interest.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told Europe 1 radio on Sunday that France's relations with Syria would normalize if the presidential election in Lebanon this month takes place "in good fashion."

NORMALIZE

The French government largely froze ties with Syria after the Hariri assassination in Beirut. A UN investigation implicated both Syrian and Lebanese security officials in the killing. Damascus denies involvement.

Although Syria pulled its soldiers out of Lebanon after a 29-year presence, the Damascus government supports the main Lebanese opposition party Hezbollah, which fought a war with Israel last year.

Syria also maintains links with other political players, including parliament speaker Nabih Berri.
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