Lebanon’s pro-Syria PM resigns before no-confidence vote News
Lebanon’s pro-Syria PM resigns before no-confidence vote

[JURIST] Lebanon's Prime Minister Omar Karami announced the resignation of his administration on Monday, just before a no-confidence vote was scheduled to take place. Karami had been under popular pressure to resign after his government was implicated in the February 14 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri [BBC report]. Hariri had staunchly opposed Syria's presence in Lebanon, where Karami had been backed by the Syrian government. Earlier Monday, thousands of Lebanese protestors defied a government ban and took to the streets in Beirut to protest Syria's military presence in Lebanon [CNN report]. Though confident he would win a no-confidence vote, Karami announced his resignation in Parliament, saying, "Out of concern that the government does not become an obstacle to the good of the country, I announce the resignation of the government I had the honor to lead." Reuters has more. The Lebanese Daily Star has local coverage.

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