President postpones Lebanon talks

Talks to form a new Lebanese government have been postponed for a week.

The two-day consultations had been scheduled to start today after Hezbollah and its allies quit the Western-backed government last week, forcing it to collapse.

The crisis stems from tensions over a UN tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

The Shiite militant group walked out of the government when Prime Minister Saad Hariri – the dead man’s son – refused to disown the tribunal. Many expect Hezbollah to be named in upcoming indictments.

President Michel Suleiman said he delayed the talks to best serve the “national interest.”