Washington proposes help, Lebanese opposition continue sit in

The US proposed to help the Lebanese people in carrying free and transparent elections following the resignation of the government of Omar Karami following the pressures by the opposition.

The US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday said that the US welcomes what it described steps taking place in Lebanon to restore democracy.

This came at a time when the Lebanese President Emil Lahoud and the speaker of parliament Nabih Berri are expected to hold talks to discuss the formation of a new government before the general elections set in May.

President Lahoud has to nominate a prime minister in consultation with the speaker of parliament on the ground of parliamentary consultations.

Al-Jazira TV said that the name of the former Lebanese prime minister Salim al-Hoss or figures from his trend stated to form the new government, which will assume its missions for three months, because he does not represent the opposition, nor the authority.

Meantime, political movements in the area coincide with the resumed sit in by hundreds of Lebanese in the downtown of Beirut, demanding Syria to withdraw its forces from Lebanon.

On Monday evening the Lebanese demonstrators celebrated the resignation of the government and stressed continued protests set by the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafic Hariri two weeks ago until the Syrian pullout from Lebanon.

Several opposition figures welcomed the resignation of the government and described it as a victory for the Lebanese people and called for "a neutral government" to lead the country in the coming phase. The Lebanese opposition called for continued demonstrations and acts of protests until the withdrawal of the Syrian forces.