MOSCOW, June 9 (RIA Novosti) - Russia welcomes Lebanese political factions' efforts to cooperate to build a stable government, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
The Western-backed "March 14" coalition won Sunday's parliamentary election in Lebanon, defeating the Hezbollah-led opposition. Coalition leader Saad al-Hariri has said he will invite Hezbollah to join a national unity government, but that the Islamist group will not have sufficient cabinet posts to block government decisions.
"It is very satisfying that the leaders of the main political factions that participated in the election not only recognized the results, but also confirmed their urge for cooperation in the name of Lebanon's highest interests," spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said.
Nesterenko also said Russia hopes practical steps will soon be taken to form a new government and develop and adopt a government program to stabilize the country and resolve its problems.
"Russia, on its part, will continue rendering Lebanon and the Lebanese people every possible support in this," he said.
The coalition, led by Saad al-Hariri, the son of ex-premier Rafik Hariri killed in 2005, won 71 seats out of 128, against 57 seats won by the opposition.
