FMs from US, Egypt, France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE call for no intimidation in Lebanese election.

ISTANBUL - The United States, the Arab League, Egypt, France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates condemned any interference or intimidation in Lebanon's election process in a statement Saturday.

After a meeting organised by the United States, foreign ministers from the six countries together with the general secretary of the Arab League insisted in the statement that Lebanon's presidential election had to be free and fair.

The text had been drawn up by the United States before being approved by all parties.

It was issued on the sidelines of the conference in Istanbul on Iraqi security attended by the foreign ministers and senior officials from Iraq, its neighbours, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and the G8.

Earlier Saturday, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had a bilateral meeting here with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, said US Ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker.

Presidential elections in Lebanon have been twice deferred due to a lack of consensus over who should replace the pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, whose term runs out on November 24.

Fears are running high in Beirut that the standoff between the pro- and anti-Syrian camps could lead to two rival governments, a grim reminder of the end of Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war when two administrations battled it out. -Agencies