Karami threatens to step down if fails to form unity gov't

Lebanese Prime Minister Omar Karami said Wednesday that he would resign if his efforts on forming a national unity government fail.

After talks with Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, Karami told reporters that they had agreed to continue talks and consultations with all parties, including the opposition groups, on the formationof a unity government.

The prime minister added that he was still waiting for answers from Lebanese opposition leader Walid Jumblatt on the issue.The new government should take the responsibility of probing into the killing of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri and preparing for the May parliamentary elections, Karami stressed.

Under immense pressure from the opposition groups that accused Syria and the pro-Syria Lebanese government of being behind theFeb. 14 assassination of Hariri, Karami resigned on Feb. 28, but was reinstated early this month by President Lahoud.

Karami has been fighting an uphill battle in forming a national unity government as opposition leaders refused to join any government.

Source: Xinhua