Lebanon's presidential election was postponed for the 13 thtime today in a continuing political crisis that threatens to further destabilise a country with a bloody and volatile past.
The vote, which is restricted to parliamentarians was due to be held on February 11, but Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri announced that failure to agree the make up of a new government led to the latest deferral.
Rival leaders have agreed that army chief General Michel Suleiman should be the next president - succeeding pro-Syrian president Emile Lahoud whose term expired last November.
Mr Berri announced the delay after holding talks today with Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa, who is leading the latest efforts to mediate an end to the worst political crisis since Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war.
"The matter requires a lot of work," Mr Moussa said after the talks, adding that time was "short so we must move quickly towards consensus and an election".