BEIRUT, Lebanon - A leader of Lebanon’s ruling majority called on Sunday for the international community’s help to counter what he said were Syrian attempts to prevent the election of a new president in the country.

Walid Jumblatt made the appeal in a letter addressed to leaders of the United States, Saudi Arabia, Russia, France, China, Egypt, Britain, Spain, Italy, Germany, the European Union, United Nations and Arab League.
"More than ever before, the Lebanese people are in dire need for the protection of the international community, governments and parties," said the letter.
"We are certain that you will continue to back our efforts to reach freedom by guaranteeing the election of a new president," he said.

Jumblatt, who is Lebanon’s Druze leader and an MP, again accused Syria of carrying out the September 12 bomb attack that killed anti-Syrian deputy Antoine Ghanem.

Ghanem was the eighth anti-Syrian politician to be assassinated since the February 2005 murder of five-times former prime minister Rafiq Hariri. Syria has denied involvement in any of the attacks.

"This is another aggression to obstruct Lebanon’s road to independence and sovereignty and a failed attempt by the Syrian regime to prevent the election of a new president," he said.

On Thursday the 15-member UN Security Council called for a free and fair presidential election in Lebanon without foreign interference.

But Nabih Berri, speaker of parliament and a leader of Lebanon’s opposition which is supported by Syria and Iran, slammed what he called UN "interference", adding that the election was "the business of the Lebanese people."

The opposition accuses the parliamentary majority of attempting to internationalise the Lebanese question.

Last Tuesday, parliament adjourned until October 23 a session to elect a new president for lack of a quorum, amid deadlock between the Western-backed government of Prime Minister Fuad Siniora and the pro-Syrian opposition.

But fears are running high that the deadlock over the presidency could lead to two rival governments, a grim reminder of the final years of the 1975-1990 civil war when two competing administrations battled it out for control. -AFP