1.
LV PAN INTERIOR RASHID AL-SOLH SEATED PAN TO SAEB SALAM
0.08

2.
CU PAN FROM SALAM TO AL-SOLH
0.27

3.
SV FORMER PM HAFEZ GREETS AL-SOLH
0.34

4.
CU NEWSMEN
0.37

5.
SV AND CU AL-SOLH SEATED WITH HAFEZ (3 SHOTS)
0.50

6.
GV PAN DOWN EXTERIOR PARLIAMENT BUILDING
0.59

7.
SV AND CU INTERIOR AL-SOLH WITH PARLIAMENT SPEAKER KAMAL AL ASSAD (2 SHOTS)
1.14

8.
SV AL-SOLH RECEIVED MPS
1.28

9.
SV AL-SOLH RECEIVES FORMER PRESIDENT CHAMOUN
1.33



Initials OS/1510 OS/1523



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: MR. RASHID AL-SOLH, A 50-YEAR OLD INDEPENDENT MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, WAS APPOINTED PARIME MINISTER OF LEABANON IN BEIRUT ON THURSDAY NIGHT (24 OCTOBER).

THE FOLLOWING DAY HE BEGAN A SERIES OF CONSULTATIONS WITH PARLIAMENTARY LEADERS AND MPS OF VARIOUS BLOCS ON THE FORMATION OF A NEW GOVERNMENT.

PRESIDENT SOULEIMAN FRANJIEH ENTRUSTED MR. RASHID AL-SOLH WITH THE TASK OF FORMING A GOVERNMENT AFTER THREE WEEKS OF ABORTIVE ATTEMPTS BY THE VETERAN POLITICAL LEADER, MR. SAEB SALAM. MR. SALAM'S EFFORTS FAILED BECAUSE HE COULD NOT RECONCILE THE CONTRADICTING DEMANDS OF THE MANY FACTIONS IN THE 99-MEMBER PARLIAMENT.

SPEAKING TO NEWSMEN AFTER HIS FIRST ROUND OF CONSULTATIONS, MR. RASHID AL-SOLH EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO FORM A GOVERNMENT WHICH WOULD WIN THE APPROVAL AND SUPPORT OF THE LEBANESE PEOPLE.

THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT, HEADED BY TAKIEDDIN AL-SOLH, RESIGNED LAST MONTH AFTER POLITICAL LEADERS AND THE PRESS ATTACKED IT FOR FAILING TO CURB INFLATION AND TO UPHOLD LAW AND ORDER.

Lebauese Premier-designate Rashid Al Solh today expressed the hope that he would be able to form a new government which would win the approval and support of the people.

Mr. Solh was speaing to reporters after holding his first round of consultations with parliamentary bloc leaders and former prime ministers, in addition to mr. Kamel Al-Assad, speaker of Lebanon's single house of Parliament.

The premier designate, who is due to complete his consultations tomorrow, will brief President Franjieh on the outcome of his efforts after the head of state's return from the arab summit conference in Agbat.

Outgoing Premier Takieddin Al Solh resigned last month following complaints over the government's domestic policy, especially realting to security affairs and inflation. Former prime minister Saob Salam was designated to form a new cabinet but he failed in his three-week attempt to reconcile the wishes of the various parliamentary blocs and politicians and gave up the task.

President Franjieh then asked the present premier designate to try and form a government acceptable to the various political factions.

In a statement to the official national news agency, the premier designate said he had found a general willingness to facilitate his efforts.

The view was shared by speaker Assad who expressed the hope that the premier designate would be successful in his efforts and "effectively exercise the responsibilities of his now office."
SYNOPSIS: EFFORTS TO FORM A NEW GOVERNMENT IN THE LEBANON CHANGED DIRECTIONS ON THURSDAY. THE VETERAN POLITICIAN MR. SAEB SALAM GAVE UP AFTER THREE WEEKS OF ABORTIVE NEGOTIATIONS AND WAS REPLACED AS PRIME MINISTER-DESIGNATE BY MR. RASHID AL-SOLH, A FIFTY-YEAR OLD INDEPENDENT MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE NEW PREMIER BEGAN A SERIES OF CONSULTATIONS WITH HIS PARLIAMENTARY COLLEAGUES, INCLUDING MR. SALAM.

MR. RASHID AL-SOLH ALSO VISITED FORMER PRIME MINISTER MR. AMIN HAFEZ. MR. SALAM'S FAILURE WAS DUE TO CONTRADICTING DEMANDS BY THE ANY FACTIONS IN THE LEBANESE PARLIAMENT, WHICH HAS NINETY-NINE MEMBERS. THE PURPOSE OF MR. RASHID AL-SOLH'S CONSULTATIONS WAS TO RECONCILE THESE DIFFERENCES AND TO FORM A NEW GOVERNMENT.

LATER THE SAME DAY, MR. RASHID AL-SOLH SPOKE TO MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT AT THE PARLIAMENT BUILDING IN BEIRUT. AMONG THEM WA STHR SEAKER OF THE HOUSE, MR. KAMAL AL-ASSAD. AFTER HIS INITIAL CONSULTATIONS, MR. RASHID AL-SOLH SAID THAT HE HOPED TO BE ABLE TO FORM A GOVERNMENT THAT WOULD WIN THE APPROVAL OF THE LEBANESE PEOPLE.

THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT, HEADED BY MR. TAKIEDOIN AL-SLAH, RESIGNED LAST MONTH. A NEW LEBANESE GOVERNMENT IS NOT EXPECTED BEFORE PRESIDENT SULEIMAN FRANJIEH RETURNS FROM THE ARB SUMMIT IN RABAT, MOROCCO. TOWARDS THE END OF HIS DAY OF CONSULTATIONS MR. RASHID AL-SLOH RECEIVED FORMER PRESIDENT CAMILLE CHAMOUN.