Syrians may stay for Lebanon poll

BEIRUT - MPs yesterday voted to hold new elections but the Syrian Foreign Minister, Abdul-Halim Khaddam, hinted in an interview in the Lebanese paper L'Orient Le Jour that Syrian troops might stay in Beirut until after the probable September polling date, writes Robert Fisk.

Lebanese Christians have threatened to boycott the poll if the Syrians do not withdraw before the election. Mr Khaddam was quoted as saying that 'if they want to wait for our departure to hold the polls, then I tell them we could stay until September or after that date'.