Nasrallah says Shiites not seeking to block other parties

Jan 23, 2011, 20:25 GMT

Beirut(dpa)- The head of the Lebanese Shiite movement Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah said Sunday that his opposition coalition movement is not seeking to eliminate any other political group in Lebanon.

The comments came in a speech on the eve of parliamentary consultations by the Lebanese President Michel Suleiman to appoint a new prime minister.

'We in the coalition will request that the new premier, yet to be named, forms a national-unity cabinet in which everyone participates.'

'We are not calling for a cabinet that excludes any party in Lebanon,' Nasrallah said in a televised speech.

Hezbollah and their allied ministers collectively resigned on January 12, toppling the government of premier Saad Hariri and plunging the country into a political turmoil which many fear may lead to civil strife.

Their resignation came as result of disagreements over the UN- backed tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of former prime minister Rafic Hariri.

'Some say that if the opposition candidate for the premiership is assigned to form a cabinet, the privileges of the Sunni sect in the government would be harmed. Things are not that way,' Nasrallah was referring to a statement made earlier by the Sunni clergyman in the country.

The Sunni religious leaders called on President Michel Suleiman to prevent 'those who seek (referring to the Hezbollah-led opposition) to cause tension between sects in order to maintain security and stability.'

Nasrallah said his coalition have asked former prime minister Omar Karami if he would accept being named as premier to replace Hariri, but the later turned down the offer due to health problems.

Sources close to Hezbollah said that their coalition might name former Sunni premier Naqib Mikati, who headed a government after the assassination of Rafik Hariri.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri is currently heading a caretaker government pending the outcome of consultations on January 24 and 25 between Suleiman and parliamentarians on the appointment of a new premier.

Hezbollah and their coalition have said that they will not back Hariri for the premiership.

Lebanon's Sunni Muslim religious leaders announced Sunday that they will back the nomination of caretaker prime minister Saad Hariri during parliamentary consultations next week.