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Article: Lebanon in crisis as Lahoud leaves army in charge
- Article from:
- Belfast Telegraph
- Article date:
- November 24, 2007
- Author:
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Copyright informationCopyright 2007 Belfast Telegraph. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Emile Lahoud stepped down at the end of his presidential term
last night with no successor, following days of acrimonious
wrangling over a candidate between the Western-backed government and
the pro-Syrian opposition.
"The dangers of a state of emergency exist and have been
fulfilled. [The President] entrusts the army with the authority to
maintain security on all Lebanese territory and put all armed forces
at its disposal," he said.
The declaration from Mr Lahoud, a staunch ally of the Syrian
regime, was immediately rejected by the government, which would have
had to ratify it for it to stand. "It has no value and is
unconstitutional and consequently it is considered as if it was not ...