Plan due from Left in Beirut

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34151, 12 May 1976, Page 23

Plan due from Left in Beirut

(N.Z.PA.-Reuter) BEIRUT, May 11. ! . The Lebanese Left, I which is battling for two strategic hill towns, is due to announce its plans today after a failure to prevent Saturday’s Presidential election. Parliament met that day amid gunfire from Left-wing forces to elect the Central Bank governor (Mr Elias Sarkis), the candidate of the Right, as successor to the Right-wing President, Mr Suleiman Franjieh. A meeting of Left-wing leaders, headed by Mr Kamal Jumblatt, last night re-affirmed the rejection of the vote, and said it was a [violation of the people's will. A spokesman said after the meeting that the Left would outline its position today. Yesterday, Left-wing sources said fighting against Rightist forces for Metein land Aintoura in the mountains west of Beirut had eased, the Left still controlling the towns. Left-wing sources said that at least 120 people had been killed since the Right began a big offensive to retake the towns captured by the Left in a previous round of the 13-month civil war. ; The Rightists apparently want to secure supply lines to the once-popular resort of Sahle, now circled by Leftwing forces. The Palestine Liberation Organisation’s radio station Voice of Palestine, yesterday implicitly accused Syria of responsibility for the mountain battle. which has dimmed hopes that the Presidential elections would lead to an early end to the war.