Bush sidesteps Lahoud in NY

US President George W. Bush excluded his Lebanese counterpart Emil Lahoud from attending a reception in New York for leaders taking part in the UN summit next week.

But Bush extended the invitation to the Lebanese prime minister Foaud Sinioura to attend the reception, in a remark to that Lahoud has become internationally isolated at a time voices are increasing calls for his resignation from his post following the detention of his close security leaders.

Western diplomatic sources said that excluding Lahoud from the reception is aimed only at Lahoud and not at the Lebanese government, noting that his call contradicts with Washington's policy which opposed extending his term office. In September 2004, the Lebanese parliament voted for a constitutional amendment to extend the term of office for the Lebanese President for three other years.

The US secretary of state Condaleezza Rice did not put Lahoud on the list of her guests on the sideline of the UN summit despite her meeting with him in Beirut in July this year.

These developments came while voices are high inside the government calling for the resignation of Lahoud, at a time the support of the Maronite bishops for him decreased after their council considered that developments of recent investigations "greatly " affected the office of the "Presidency".