Indeed, just as Lahoud’s chair at the talks is vacant, so – in the eyes of the world and under the country’s 150-year old constitution – is Lebanon’s presidency. It has been vacant since September 2004 when Lahoud, backed by Syria, forced an extension of his six-year term on the Lebanese parliament, which elects the president.
实际上，正如此次讨论会议上拉胡德缺席一样，无论在全世界人眼里还是按照这个国家有着150年历史的宪法，黎巴嫩的总统职位也同样空缺。自从2004年9月拉胡德在叙利亚的支持下强迫选举总统的黎巴嫩议会延长其6年任期之后，总统职位就一直空缺。