The crackle of gunfire and sound of explosions erupted over Beirut late yesterday afternoon – but this time it was an act of celebration, not conflict, as Lebanon elected General Michel Suleiman, the commander of the Lebanese Army, as President.

The vote signals the end of a grinding 19-month political crisis and opens a new era for Lebanon, albeit one with grave political obstacles ahead.

The ceremony was attended by dozens of Arab, European and American dignitaries, underlining the intense international involvement in this tiny country. Among the dignitaries was Walid Muallem, the Syrian Foreign Minister, in the first formal visit by a Syrian official since Damascus withdrew from Lebanon three years ago.

General Suleiman was elected by 118 MPs in the 128-seat parliament. In a civilian suit, he stepped into the chamber and took a seat alongside Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, of Qatar, who was awarded a seat of honour because of his role in brokering an agreement between rival factions last week.

In his address, General Suleiman said: “I call on you all, political forces and citizens, to build a Lebanon we all agree upon, setting the interests of Lebanon above our individual interests.”

He touched on pressing issues such as the fate of the weapons held by Hezbollah, the militant Shia group. The new President called for “distinguished and balanced relations” with neighbouring Syria and urged justice for Rafik Hariri, the former Lebanese Prime Minister who was assassinated three years ago, and other Lebanese assassinated in the past three years.

Beirut’s streets were bedecked in red, white and green national flags for the occasion and fresh portraits of General Suleiman smothered walls.

“I think this is a good day for Lebanon. God willing our troubles will be over for a while,” said Ghassan Chartouni, 43, as he sat in his car in a traffic jam caused by Lebanese troops sealing off streets in central Beirut.

However, the Doha agreement reached by feuding Lebanese politicians in Qatar last week is a temporary salve. The agreement restarted the political process with the election of General Suleiman, the adoption of a new electoral law and a deal on the share of seats in the Government. It does not address some of the core issues that lie at the heart of the struggle in Lebanon – chiefly the fate of Hezbollah’s military wing.

The storming two weeks ago of west Beirut by Hezbollah and its allies demonstrated in stark fashion that the Shia group is willing to resort to force against any perceived attempts to emasculate its armed wing. The offensive came after the Lebanese Government declared as illegal Hezbollah’s private telephone network, which the Shia group said was a key component of its military infrastructure.

Having seized west Beirut in just six hours of fighting, Hezbollah swiftly handed over security to the Lebanese Army and withdrew its fighters. It was a bold muscle-flexing gesture to deter future threats to its armed wing rather than being intended as a coup.

Nonetheless, with Lebanon teetering on the brink of civil war, the beleaguered Government felt that it had little choice but to yield to rivals during the Qatar talks. The Hezbollah-led Opposition was granted its key demand of a veto-wielding one-third share of Cabinet seats in a national unity government. That allows the Opposition to block any decisions it deems unfavourable.

The Western-backed March 14 coalition, which forms the parliamentary majority, will lobby hard to secure guarantees limiting Hezbollah’s ability to employ its weapons. But the March 14 coalition has little leverage against a Shia opponent that has demonstrated that it holds the balance of power.

A delicate and challenging task for the next government will be to seek an improvement in relations with Syria, which have been strained since Mr Hariri’s assassination.

Syria is the chief suspect in his death, and a United Nations-mandated tribunal to judge the accused killers is regarded as a powerful point of pressure on Damascus.

Complicating any rapprochement between Beirut and Damascus is that Saad Hariri, the son and political heir of the murdered leader, is likely to be the next Prime Minister of Lebanon. He has repeatedly blamed Syria for his father’s death.

The woes of Lebanon

November 11, 2006

Five ministers from Hezbollah withdraw from the Cabinet of the Prime Minister, Fouad Siniora

December 2006

Huge Hezbollah protests against Siniora Government

May–September 2007

Lebanese Army attacks the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp in worst violence since end of civil war

October 20, 2007

Spanish and French Foreign Ministers meet Lebanon’s leaders to try to break deadlock that prevented election of a new President

November 23, 2007

President Lahoud’s term of office ends with no successor elected

December 2007

Rival leaders agree on General Michel Suleiman for President but he still needs to be formally elected

December–May 2008

Voting on new President delayed 19 times“

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