Gemayel to rule Lebanon by decree for six months

The Lebanese National Assembly granted the month-old government of President Amin Gemayel emergency powers to rule by decree in a bid to restore normality to the war-torn country.

But the single-chamber assembly restricted the fields in which the government can legislate directly, and it also granted the special powers for only six months, compared with the eight months requested by the Cabinet.

Mr. Gemayel's 10-man Cabinet also won a vote of confidence from the parliament. The vote was 58 to 1, but 33 members did not attend the meeting. Meanwhile, Mr. Gemayel met for more than two hours Tuesday with US envoy Morris Draper to discuss arrangements for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Lebanon.