Efforts to resolve the key controversial issues in Lebanon, say the formation of a national unity government and an international tribunal into Hariri's murder, have reached a dead end, a newspaper reported.
The Beirut-based daily An Nahar on Wednesday reported failure to resolve the two points coincided with remarks by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, who demanded adoption of "the Syrian law as the groundwork for the international tribunal."
The newspaper quoted a government source as saying that Saudi Ambassador to Beirut Abdel Aziz Khoja has conveyed to Riyadh the opposition's insistence on a veto-wielding power in a new national unity government in exchange for guarantees to settle the tribunal issue, a demand strongly rejected by the ruling majority.
According to An Nahar, Khoja, who was in Riyadh Tuesday for a one-day visit, briefed Saudi officials on the outcome of his talks with the rival Lebanese leaders after Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed at Saturday's summit to resolve Lebanon's political crisis.
It said Khoja returned to Beirut overnight and was set to launch a new round of talks Wednesday with senior Lebanese politicians related to the kingdom's efforts to break the deadlock.
