WASHINGTON - US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Bureau David Welch said on Thursday that Washington wants to see a strong Lebanese president with broad support but hinted that absolute majority vote is not unprecedented in the embattled country.

"The international community agrees that Lebanon deserves a strong, credible president who has the broadest possible support", said Welch.

Yet, the US official asserted that the Lebanese parliament has already elected many former Lebanese presidents such as Elias Sarkis and Suleiman Franjieh on the base of "absolute majority of votes", hinting that the Bush administration could endorse similar scenario.

"We will not endorse specific candidates, but we expect that Lebanon's next president will not be beholden to outside powers or terrorist groups", he said calling for a free, fair and on-time presidential elections.

In a hearing on Capitol Hill titled "Lebanon on the brink", Welch asserted that the international community is trying to "foil the efforts of Syria, Iran, and their Lebanese proxies and partners to destabilize a troubled nation and friend to the United States".

"We are working with the international community to ensure free, fair, and constitutional Lebanese presidential elections", he added, noting that Lebanese needs a strong and independent president.

"The international community must redouble its efforts to support Lebanon's legitimate government, its pro-sovereignty March 14 majority", said Welch.

Welch described the tenure of the Lebanese president Emile Lahoud as "extra-constitutionally extended under threat from the Syrian regime" that "severely undermined the credibility and influence of Lebanese presidency".

"It is time for Lebanon to restore that institution by electing who will defend Lebanese sovereignty against enemies, foreign and domestic, and return a sense of pride and participation to Lebanon's Christian community", he added.

Appearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Middle East and South Asia, Welch accused "the Syrian regime, Hezabollah and Lebanon's pro Syrian opposition" of "trying to block democratic elections".

He expressed concern that the Lebanese opposition might prevent the presidential elections or president Lahoud to step down once the 24 November constitutional deadline arrives or the emergence of a second government or more assassinations or intimidation target Lebanese parliamentary members.

"Successful Lebanese presidential elections are a key priority to the United States", said Welch.

"We hope that the Syrian government and Lebanon's pro Syrian opposition understand that any interference in the peaceful and constitutional conduct of Lebanese elections will have very serious consequences", he added.

Welch asked the Congress to join the State Department on "emphasizing the civic duty of all Lebanese parliamentary to vote in electoral sessions".

"No one should use the threat of boycott to deprive Lebanon of a new president or to deprive Lebanese Christians of their highest political office", he added.

"We are confident that if given the choice, the Lebanese people will settle for nothing less", concluded Welch. -Kuna