Two of Lebanon's leading politicians, including the former Premier, Saeb Salam, have called on the Lebanese President, Suleiman Franjieh, to resign.

The same call for the President's resignation was made by the Leader of the National Bloc Party, Mr. Raymond Edde.

Mr. Salam, who tried to vain to form a government under President Franjieh last year, said that no government "can save Lebanon when the man primarily responsible has lost the confidence of the people".

Mr. Edde recalled that the late President of Egypt, Abdul Nasser, offered his resignation when Israel had such a resounding victory in the 1967 war ... and suggested that President Franjieh should do the same after the failure to control Lebanese factional violence.

Heavy fighting has been continuing throughout lebanon between Moslem left-wing gunmen and Christian right-wing guerrillas.

Beirut's southern suburbs were shattered with rocket and mortar explosions on Thursday (2 October) and gunmen and troops clashed at Beirut airport Saturday (4 October) leaving one of the gunmen and a soldier dead.

Both Mr. Salam and Mr. Edde said they were reconsidering their position as members of the 20-man National Dialogue Committee, a body set up last week to tackle the political and social causes of the factional violence which has brought Lebanon almost to the edge of civil war.