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| France says Lebanons
by-elections democratic, sovereign choice PARIS - France said here Tuesday that the by-elections held in Lebanon on Sunday is the "democratic and sovereign choice of the Lebanese people," and that the polls proceeded under "good conditions." Spokesman of the French foreign ministry Hugues Monet said that the voters had the "possibility of going freely to the ballots despite the attacks and intimidation which the Lebanese democracy suffered recently." He added that the "occupying" of the seats that were left vacant due to the assassination of MPs Peirre Gemayel and Walid Eido and "allowing" two elected members to join the parliament affirm that the legislative elections is a "Lebanese will to regain a normal political life away from pressures and hindrances." Monet stressed that "all these elements reinforce the urgent necessity to resolve the current political crisis in a spirit of dialogue and compromises." Meanwhile, the spokesman noted that French envoy Jean-Claude Cousseran follows "with consideration" all developments in Lebanon under his capacity as the special envoy of the French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner. Former Lebanese President Amin Gemayel was defeated in Sundays by-elections in the Meten area by a thin margin of 400 votes against a candidate backed by Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun while the candidate of the Future Current won with a large margin the Sunni seat in Beirut's second constituency. Kuna |
