PARLIAMENT HOUSE; SPEAKER HAMADEH ARRIVING; RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR ARRIVING; PREMIER KARAMI ARRIVING; GROUP SEATED; FORMER DEFENCE MINISTER ARSLAN ARRIVING; PREMIER AND PARTY AT PRESS INTERVIEW; PRESSMEN.




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Background: LEBANON'S PRIME MINISTER RASHID KARAMI, WHOSE GOVERNMENT RESIGNED ON APRIL 25TH FOLLOWING CLASHES ON THE LEBANESE-ISRAELI SITUATION, HAS BEEN ASKED TO FORM A NEW GOVERNMENT. TODAY (THURSDAY) HE BEGAN CONSULTATIONS AT THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES - WHILE STILL CARRYING-OUT OTHER GOVERNMENTAL DUTIES.

AT LEBANON'S SINGLE HOUSE PARLIAMENT, THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, THE FIRST TO ARRIVE FOR THE DAY'S MEETINGS WAS SPEAKER SABRI HAMADEH. THEN THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR, PETER DEDUSHKIN, ARRIVED JUST AHEAD OF THE PRIME MINISTER. THE SOVIET DIPLOMAT HAD COME TO TAKE HIS OFFICIAL FAREWELL FROM THE HIGH-RANKING GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AS HE IS SHORTLY RETURNING TO RUSSIA AT THE END OF HIS TOUR OF DUTY IN THE LEBANON.

SHORTLY AFTER, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FORMER GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING EX-DEFENCE MINISTER MAJID ARSLAN, ARRIVED FOR THE START OF THE DISCUSSIONS ON THE FORMATION OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT. PRIME MINISTER KARAMI AND HIS COLLEAGUES ALSO MET WITH THE PRESS.

MR. KARAMI HAS SAID THAT HE WANTED A GOVERNMENT IN WHICH ALL POLITICAL FACTIONS WERE REPRESENTED; WHICH WOULD ENJOY THE CONFIDENCE OF THE PEOPLE; AND WOULD ACT ACCORDING TO THE INTEREST OF THE ARAB ISSUES - PARTICULARLY IN THE PALESTINE QUESTION.

THE RESIGNATION OF HIS PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT WAS BROUGHT ABOUT FOLLOWING BLOODY CLASHES BETWEEN SECURITY FORCES AND DEMONSTRATORS WHO WERE CALLING FOR A FREE HAND FOR ARAB COMMANDOES IN LEBANON AGAINST ISRAEL. DOZENS OF PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND WOUNDED AND A FIVE-DAY STATE OF EMERGENCY AND CURFEW HAD BEEN CLAMPED DOWN ON ALL TOWNS. ON TUESDAY (20 MAY) LEBANON'S PRESIDENT CHARLES HELOU, ASKED THE RESIGNING PRIME MINISTER TO RECONSIDER AND FORM A NEW GOVERNMENT. THIS IS WHAT HE IS NOW IN THE PROCESS OF DOING.