Lebanon’s newly-elected parliament re-elected a pro-Syrian, Nabih Berri, as speaker today in a move seen as a political compromise by the anti-Syrian coalition which won the recent elections, the first conducted without Syrian influence in 30 years.

LEBANON’S main parliamentary blocs have agreed to back the re-election of Nabih Berri, virtually guaranteeing the strong Syrian ally will secure the post of parliament speaker, political sources said yesterday.

Hezbollah and its Shiite allies declared themselves victorious in southern Lebanon in today’s second stage of national elections.

LEBANON President Emile Lahoud looks set to ask outgoing pro-Syrian prime minister Omar Karami to form a government, a step sure to anger the anti-Syrian opposition who pressured him to resign in the first place.