Lebanese business leaders called Thursday on all politicians to comply with a 100-day truce to spare the country further economic deterioration, according to dpa. "We are sending a strong warning to all concerned parties that failing to comply with the proposed 100-day truce will have dire effects on the economy," Nadim Assi, President of the Beirut Merchant Association, said during an economic conference. Assi added the truce should start on June 1 and end September 10, during which all political leaders should refrain from attending talk shows or attacking each other in the media. Assi warned the if the current political deadlock continued, it would harm the economy further and deprive Lebanon of a chance to bring back tourists this summer season. Last summer's 33-day conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, and the prevailing political deadlock between the pro-Syrian opposition and the WEstern-backed government, had hard hit Lebanon's economy in general and tourism in particular. Lebanon had been expecting more than 1.6 million tourists in the summer of 2006, but the war destroyed all that. Assi said the Thursday's economic conference involving business leaders and trade unions was aimed at highlighting the negative impact of the impasse on all sectors. The gathering at the Unesco Palace drew hundreds of businessmen, investors, bankers and trades union leaders. "The businessmen want a breathing space to restore some of the losses," Assi said. "We want our hotels, shops and restaurants to be full again with Arab and foreign tourists. We do not want bombs and tension on the streets." Lebanon has been in crisis since the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005. The political turmoil was heightened after summer's month-long conflict, when the Shiite militant group Hezbollah called for a national unity government to be formed, granting them a veto power. At least ten people have been killed in sectarian clashes since a massive demonstration to oust current Prime Minister Fouad Seniora began in December of last year. Most of the commercial sector in downtown Beirut has been closed after the pro-Syrian opposition decided last December to set an open- ended sit-in in front the governmental palace where Seniora's office is located, to pressure him to resign and form a national unity government.
