BEIRUT, Lebanon - Several Lebanese Christian politicians, who met on Monday at the town of Maarab in the district of Kesrouan, expressed confidence in their ability to vouch for the next Lebanese president, to be elected by November.

The 25 or so personalities, who met at the residence of Lebanese Forces Party Samir Geagea in Maarab, agreed on a common strategy regarding the upcoming presidential elections and came out with a statement asserting that the next president should come from their side, the March 14 bloc led by MP Saad Al-Hariri.

"This is a preparatory meeting, whose results would be conveyed to Christian Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir," one of the personalities, Social Services Minister Nayla Muawwad told reporters.

She added that the next president would be one agreed upon by the March 14 group and the Patriarch. "Otherwise, there will not be a president elected," she said.

Meanwhile, a colleague of Mrs Muawwad MP Butros Harb said the meeting was called for to agree on common denominators in the lead up to the "all important" presidential race.

Former MP Nassib Lahoud, who heads the Democratic Renewal Movement, said the conference was called for to "launch official consultations leading up to the presidential elections."

Another former MP Ghattas Khoury said the conference was meant to bring together all potential candidates for the presidency from the March 14 group in order to reach common ground with them on what was expected from the next president.

The March 14 group, which is loyal to the government of Prime Minister Fuad Al-Siniora, would like the presidential elections to take place within the official deadline, between September 25 and November 24, 2007. -Kuna