LEBANON: Lebanon's pro-Syrian prime minister has said he would step down because he could not persuade anti-Syrian opposition figures to join a national unity government to lead the country to elections due in May.
In a move that could delay those polls, Omar Karami told reporters he was not willing to lead a cabinet that did not include both pro-Syrian loyalists and the opposition.
"I am not willing to form a government of this sort and I came to put the speaker in the picture," he said after meeting parliament speaker Nabih Berri. "I am going to see the president to inform him of this decision."
Mr Karami resigned as prime minister a month ago after coming under immense popular pressure from Lebanese angered by the killing of his predecessor Rafik Hariri. But he was reappointed by parliament to form a national unity government.
Lebanon's opposition, which blames Syria and the Lebanese security agencies it backs for Mr Hariri's death, has refused to join any government until after elections which it believes will give it a majority in a chamber now largely allied to Damascus.
Mr Karami is expected to inform President Émile Lahoud today. Mr Lahoud will then have to consult with deputies once again to choose a new premier, a process that could delay the elections, much to the ire of the opposition.
Opposition figures accuse Mr Karami of procrastinating to avoid elections, and had urged him to form a government without them. His old cabinet still holds office in a caretaker capacity.
Facing immense international pressure, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has promised to withdraw all troops and intelligence agents from its neighbour. Damascus has pulled so far withdrawn nearly half the 14,000 troops it kept in Lebanon.