Karami denies intention to resign

The Lebanese prime minister Omar Karami said he has no intention to quit the presidency of the Cabinet except in case the Lebanese parliament cast non confidence in his government.

The press office of the Lebanese prime minister Omar Karami said that Karami will debate his government for confidence even if the opposition will not debate it.

Karami was thereby explaining a statement by him quoted by the Lebanese dailies issued on Wednesday including his readiness to resign from his post but under the condition to maintan understanding over a new government in order to avert falling into a constitutional vacuum.

Karami showed the readiness of his government to maintain a dialogue with the opposition without "any precondition even if over the issue of the withdrawal of the Syrian forces, but according to what was stated by Taif accord," which was approved by all Lebanese forces in 1989.

Karami statements came at the request of the opposition from the speaker of the Lebanese parliament Nabih Berri to debate the issue of confidence on the agenda of the parliament and this what was agreed by defining February 28 as a date to convene a preliminary session dedicated to discuss the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafic Hariri but without ruling out debating confidence in the government.

On Tuesday, the Maronite Patriarch Nasrullah Sfeir called for the resignation of the Lebanese government responding to the demands set by the opposition which ignited marches and demonstrations in Lebanon for this purpose.