Arab League chief Amr Mussa will call on Arab foreign ministers at a meeting in Cairo on Sunday to step up diplomatic efforts to resolve Lebanon’s political crisis and heal deep mistrust in the country.
In a report to the ministers, a copy of which was obtained by an international news agency, Mussa is to urge Arab countries to "continue efforts to provide the appropriate atmosphere on the Arab, regional and international fronts to aid the Arab League in its efforts with the Lebanese parties in a positive manner.
"The efforts should take into account the political and security fears and suspicions of the two sides, and their place in Lebanese politics, with its Arab, regional and international dimensions.
"The differences between the two sides on the formation of the cabinet reflect the extent of the lack of trust between them, and have implications that go beyond just numbers," the secretary general said.
Mussa has held several round of talks with feuding political leaders in Lebanon to spur them to elect a new president and end the crisis which has left the country without a president since November 23.
On January 5, Mussa proposed a three-point Arab initiative which calls for the election of army chief General Michel Sleiman as president, the formation of a national unity government in which no one party has veto power, and the adoption of a new electoral law.
Lebanon’s ruling parliamentary majority has accepted the bid but the Hezbollah-led opposition demands it be granted a third of the seats in a new government so the opposition can have veto power.