Sinioura: No boycott of Lahoud

The Lebanese prime minister Fouad Sinioura on Thursday in Cairo, where he took part in the meeting of the Arab foreign ministers, denied a boycott against President Emil Lahoud, saying that that the relations between them is transparent and is governed by the constitution and the law.

This was in reply to a question on whether he will refuse to escort Lahoud to New York to take part in the works of the UN General Assembly world summit.

Sinioura said that Lahoud "so far decided to go to New York" and considered that the question of the resignation is a matter that is decided only by the Lebanese president. He refused to comment on a question on a likely relation between Lahoud and the assassination of Rafic al-Hariri by saying "I do not know, I do not interfere in the current investigations whose results will be declared."

Sinioura stressed that "disclosing the facts (of the assassination) will enable Lebanon to get over the state of instability it is in," saying that the Lebanese are determined to know the facts on the assassination of al-Hariri.