Salam urges Lebanese leaders to spare Lebanon further tensions

                        
Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam asserted on Sunday that Lebanon is going through a crucial phase, wishing from all Lebanese leaders to exert efforts to spare Lebanon further tensions.              

PM-Designate Salam's remarks came before popular, social and sports delegations at his residence in the region of Msaytbeh.      

"All Lebanese factions are required to ease down their sectarian rhetoric", he added.        

Salam was named Prime Minister-Designate after the second round of the binding parliamentary consultations to name a prime minister ended on April 6 at the Baabda Palace, with 124 deputies nominating Salam for the premiership.                   

Salam's main task will be to steer the fractious country towards a parliamentary election which is due in June but is now widely expected to face delays.  

Outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati resigned on April 22 after two fraught years in office during which he sought to contain sectarian tensions, street violence and economic fallout from the civil war raging in neighboring Syria.                             

Mikati resigned following a cabinet dispute with Hezbollah and its allies - who brought him to power in early 2011 - over extending the term of a top security official and preparations for the parliamentary vote.