Speculation about new Lebanese P.M.

Press, 9 December 1976, Page 8

Speculation about new Lebanese P.M.

NZPA-Reuter Beirui Dr Selim Al-Hoss, aged 46, a Moslem economics professor who is a close associate Of the Syriansupported President Sarkis, is favoured to lead the proposed Government of National Reconstruction in Lebanon. President Sarkis has held final consultations with leading politicians on forming a Cabinet and the Beirut newspapers make Dr Hoss their hot favourite for the Prime Ministership. Radio Beirut, now under Mr Sarkis’s control, has reported that a Government may well be announced within 48 hours. The new Cabinet, which is expected to be made up mainly of technocrats, will have the challenge of securing the peace at present imposed by the Ar..’j League forces dominated by the Syrian Army on Right-wing Christians and mainly Moslem Leftists. Dr Hoss led Lebanon’s Industrial Development Bank at the outbreak of the 19-month civil war; Mr Sarkis was Governor of the Central Bank. A sudden battle between Left-wing Fatah guerrilla forces loyal to Mr Yasser Arafat and the Rightist Saiqa Palestinians backed by Syria has occurred at the Palestinian refugee camp at Nahar Al-Bared, where 27 people were killed and 20 were wounded.

In a second outbreak of fighting, at least one civilian was killed and seven others were wounded in artillery exchanges between guerrillas and Christian militia-men along a strip of disputed territory Israeli border, according to north of the Lebanesea spokesman for the Arab League peace-keeping forces in Beirut.

A statement by the guerrillas says that many civilians died under the rubble of their demolished homes, and that the shelling forced United Nations truce observers to aban-

don some border observation outposts. The statement also said that Leftists and guerrilla forces in south Lebanon had been placed on full alert “in case of Israeli intervention.”