BEIRUT -- The long-awaited meeting between Lebanese Prime Minister Omar Karami's envoy and Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir failed to break the political deadlock which has left Lebanese politics paralyzed.

It was hoped the meeting might provide a basis for the opposition to join an interim government to bring the country into next month's elections and end four weeks of political stalemate which has left Lebanon without a functioning government.

But despite a marked softening in the opposition's stance toward Karami's attempts to form a government it emerged that Sfeir has been unable to convince the opposition to enter talks with Karami.

Karami said he remained determined to form a "national unity" Cabinet made up of opposition and loyalist figures and insisted again he will resign if he fails rather than lead what he called a "one color government."

Despite the setback, opposition leader Walid Jumblatt said: "I have a message for Omar Karami. I hope we can turn a new page in relations."

Speaking after a visit by government loyalist Economy Minister Adnan Qassar, Jumblatt added: "We want the country to be just as Adnan Qassar wants it to be and just as, I think, Omar Karami wants it to be." But there are no immediate plans for further meetings.

Speaking after his meeting with Sfeir, Karami's envoy, State Minister Albert Mansour said Karami was not willing to form a Cabinet of technocrats as proposed earlier by French President Jacques Chirac.

Quipping at Chirac's proposal, he said he was waiting to see what formula for a Cabinet Chirac and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near-Eastern Affairs David Satterfield will come up with next.

Karami, who was designated to line up a new Cabinet only days after he resigned, had said his decision to form a Cabinet or step down will depend on the result of the consultations with Sfeir, the spiritual patron of Lebanon's Christian opposition and an important political powerbroker.

During a trip to the United States last week, where he met with President George W. Bush, Sfeir had called for a new Cabinet composed of 50 percent or more opposition.

But prior to his meeting with Mansour, Sfeir appeared to shift positions on the 50-50 division of seats.

He said: "Our priority is to see at the very least the formation of a neutral Cabinet capable of overseeing the parliamentary elections. And later on, in light of these elections, there can be the formation of another Cabinet."

Prior to his meeting with Sfeir, Mansour had visited another powerbroker: Lebanon's pro-Syrian Speaker Nabih Berri.

After the meeting, Mansour said Berri stressed the need for a national unity government "in order for the country to emerge from this crisis."

Karami's other envoys toured the country's major religious leaders.

Economy Minister Adnan Qassar visited the leader of the Sunni community, Grand Mufti Mohammed Rashid Qabbani.

Following the meeting, Qassar said: "The most important thing now is that the elections be held on time to get out of the current crisis. It is also important there be a Cabinet that is capable of organizing fair elections."

Public Works and Transport Minister Yassin Jaber visited Higher Shiite Council vice-president Abdel-Amir Qabalan. Following the meeting, Jaber said Qabalan opted for the choice of a national unity Cabinet.

Another envoy, Finance Minister Elias Saba, went to the Orthodox Archbishop of Beirut, Elias Aoude.

On the same day, Sfeir met with members of the Qornet Shehwan Christian opposition group who said they will not accept any excuses for postponing the parliamentary elections.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Samir Franjieh said: "The authorities have 71 MPs in Parliament and are perfectly capable of forming the government they see fit," in a further indication the opposition is not willing to concede its demands.

By Nayla Assaf
Daily Star, Lebanon