High hopes for Lebanese president

By Jim Muir BBC News, Beirut

Street celebrations were a sign of relief for many Lebanese

This one was no exception.

Never before has such an occasion produced the extraordinary display of regional and international support that saw planeloads of foreign ministers and other dignitaries flying in from around the region and further abroad to give an unprecedented send-off to the country's new president, the former army commander, General Michel Suleiman.

Never before has an election here produced such an eruption of jubilation among the people, across the spectrum of sect and politics.

As soon as the votes were counted and the new president proclaimed, the celebrations began.

Volleys of gunfire poured into the skies all over Beirut in the traditional Lebanese manner.

The gunfire rapidly gave way to the mass honking of horns, chanting and cheering, as traffic crammed streets which only two weeks ago were deserted and echoing to the sounds of battle.

Then the fireworks began exploding and crackling, eerily similar to the gunfire and grenades that kept thousands of people cowering in their homes as the fighting raged through the streets.

Most people seemed in the mood to celebrate.

Bands of young supporters of the Shia movements, Hezbollah and Amal, drove through the streets on their trademark scooters, waving their emblematic flags and celebrating what they see as victory as though it were a football triumph.

Foreign blessing

But the traditional Lebanese settlement formula of "No Victor, No Vanquished" meant that many others saw the election of Michel Suleiman and the process which produced it, as a victory for Lebanon, not for one side or the other.

Many felt encouraged to hope that this is more than just a truce, because of the huge number of outside dignitaries who came to bless the election.

Lebanon's fate will ultimately depend in large measure on what happens in the cross-currents between the major regional and international players

The Saudi minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, seized the occasion to hold talks with Manouchehr Mottaki, his Iranian opposite number.

A sharp worsening of their relations was seen as one reason for the uncontrolled escalation in Lebanon three weeks ago, when Hezbollah - closely linked to Iran - attacked and ransacked Sunni property in West Beirut, where the Saudi embassy was damaged by gunfire.

The atmosphere of reconciliation and accommodation that pervaded the Doha agreement and the election of Gen Suleiman raised hopes of a positive knock-on effect for some of the region's other trouble spots, such as Iraq and Palestine, where the same external players are engaged.

Notably absent from the proceedings, however, was any high-level official from the US administration, although a delegation of congressional figures did attend.

The fact that the Syrian and Iranian ministers were there, while Condoleezza Rice stayed home, said much about what has happened to the balance of power in Lebanon over the past three weeks.

For Washington, Hezbollah is a terrorist organisation. It and its allies have now won veto power in the proposed new national unity government.

Many foreign governments have welcomed Gen Suleiman's election

The US and Israel regarded Mughnieh as an international arch-terrorist and blamed him for a series of bomb attacks, hijackings and kidnappings.

He was hailed by Hezbollah and Iran as a hero and martyr.

The US administration has been tepid in its support for the Doha accord.

But it has been generally welcomed by Europe. The foreign ministers of France, Italy and Spain were on hand to applaud the election of Michel Suleiman, as was the EU foreign policy chief, Javier Solana.

Quiet dialogue

In his inaugural speech, President Suleiman addressed the key issue of Hezbollah's power and arms.

General Michel Suleiman has kept the army neutral in troubled Lebanon

That is in line with the Doha agreement, which calls for Lebanese state sovereignty to spread throughout the land, and for discussions on the state's relations with "all organisations" - a reference to Hezbollah.

In any dialogue on Hezbollah's arms, the co-operation of Iran and Syria will be essential given the closeness of their relations with the militant Shia movement.

President Suleiman also supported the international tribunal set up by the United Nations to investigate and bring to justice those responsible for the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri in 2005 - an issue extremely sensitive to Damascus, which has been accused by many Lebanese of being involved.

The Syrians may now be more relaxed, with the prospect of a national unity government in Beirut in which its allies are able to block any major step of which they disapprove.

As ever, Lebanon's fate will ultimately depend in large measure on what happens in the cross-currents between the major regional and international players - the US, Iran, Syria, Israel - whose struggles and influence the country is powerless to resist.

But the display of support for the election of Michel Suleiman from such varied sources will encourage many to hope this is more than just a truce.

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