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Lebanese Voters Celebrate Apparent Victory of Former Prime Minister in Parliamentary Race

Aired September 3, 2000 - 6:03 p.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BRIAN NELSON, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Lebanon, where results are trickling in from this weekend's parliamentary race. A final tally is not expected until Monday, but that hasn't stopped some Lebanese from celebrating, declaring an early victory for the former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

CNN Beirut bureau chief Brent Sadler has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRENT SADLER, CNN BEIRUT BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): The voting over, political activists took to the streets, supporters of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in high spirits outside his home in Beirut. Inside, Hariri himself expected a clean sweep in Beirut's three electoral districts, even though official results are still awaited.

Preliminary scores, though, relayed on giant screens set their mood. The Hariri family, including his son and wife, claimed electoral trim.

RAFIK HARIRI, FMR. LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER: Now I will have to think of our country, we have lot of challenges we have to meet, and we should not feel victorious, we should think of the problem of the people who give us all this confident, and I'm proud, but I feel responsible.

SADLER: An extraordinary twist, Prime Minister Salim Hoss, whose government tried to derail Hariri's comeback ambitions, appears to have lost his parliamentary seat if unofficial counts are confirmed. Defeated hardily, claimed jubilant Hariri supporters, by this woman, a math professor running for office for the first time.

The final hours of the second round and decisive ballot to elect a new parliament were marred by violence: a car plastered with pro- Hariri posters apparently set ablaze in Beirut, a reported shooting death inside a polling station in the eastern Bekar (ph), and the stabbing of this man during an election row, also in the capital. It might have been worse had the Lebanese army not deployed in strength.

Another crucial element in the political contest is the stand of parliamentary speaker Nabi Bery (ph), he's implied possible support for Hariri's attempt to return as premier, even though reports of a possible clash of wills between President Emile Lahoude, here voting last week, and Hariri are ruled out by Hariri himself.

(on camera): While an apparent Hariri win is being embraced by those who support him, the battle for Beirut is not over. Clinching victory at the polls is but the first step along what may turn out to be a bumpy road in the premiership race.

Brent Sadler, CNN, Beirut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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