Al-Akhbar: Mikati, Salam threatened to resign over UN vote

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Lebanese Ambassador to the UN Nawwaf Salam “threatened” to resign from their posts over Lebanon’s position at the UN over the resolution condemning the violence , Al-Akhbar newspaper which is closely linked to the Hezbollah led majority reported on Saturday

Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour requested Salam to vote against the UN resolution condemning the Syrian regime’s crackdown on protests, Al-Akhbar said, adding that Salam contacted Mikati afterwards and both agreed to resign if the relevant Lebanese authorities “insist” on voting against the resolution.

According to the daily, Salam and Mikati supported abstaining from the vote.

Cleared with Assad

Al-Akhbar also said that Mikati contacted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad through a mediator and explained to him the “sensitivity” of the Lebanese situation, adding that Mikati was later informed that Assad “understands Mikati and is concerned about the stability of the Lebanese cabinet.”

“Mikati then briefed his partners in the cabinet of the results of the contacts made …and they said they are ready to make concessions to maintain the cabinet’s coherence. Mansour then requested Salam to abstain from voting,” the report added.