<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2604" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT
face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>To listen to Aline's song, click on
the following link:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://esctoday.com/news/read/3999"><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>http://esctoday.com/news/read/3999</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT><SPAN class=ds><STRONG><FONT face=Arial
size=2>Lebanon has withdrawn from this year's Eurovision Song Contest, after
refusing to show the Israeli entry on Lebanese TV channel
Tele-liban.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><STRONG><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></STRONG></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><STRONG><FONT face=Arial size=2><IMG height=152
alt="Aline Lahoud" hspace=0
src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40941000/jpg/_40941185_lebanon_203.jpg"
width=203 border=0></FONT></STRONG></SPAN></DIV><SPAN class=ds>
<DIV class=cap><FONT color=#800000 size=2>Singer Aline Lahoud would have
represented Lebanon</FONT></DIV></SPAN>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT
size=2></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2><A
href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4362373.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4362373.stm</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><SPAN class=lu>Last Updated:
</SPAN>Friday, 18 March, 2005, 18:09 GMT</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><FONT color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV>The channel told the European Broadcasting Union that Lebanon's legislation
made it nearly impossible to broadcast the Israeli
performance.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT
size=2></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT size=2>This puts in breach of
contest rules, which state all countries taking part must show the entire
event.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds></SPAN><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT
size=2>Lebanon was due to take part for the first time in the contest this
year.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds></SPAN><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT
size=2>Lebanon would have been represented by singer Aline Lahoud representing
it in the semi-final in Kiev on 19 May.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds></SPAN><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT
size=2><STRONG>Participation</STRONG></FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds></SPAN><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT
size=2>Eurovision's executive supervisor Svante Stockselius said: "When we told
them [Lebanon] they had to broadcast the entire programme, they decided to
withdraw from the contest."</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds></SPAN><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT
size=2>"I feel particularly sorry for Aline Lahoud."</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT
size=2></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT size=2>Tele-liban will still
have to pay the participation fee for the contest and faces a further fine for
withdrawing.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT
size=2></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT size=2>The channel had
originally said it would take part in December 2004, meeting a deadline by which
all countries had to confirm their participation.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds></SPAN><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT
size=2>Lebanon would have been one of three newcomers to this year's contest,
the other two being Bulgaria and Moldova.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds></SPAN><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT
size=2>The final will be held on 21 May, with a record 39 countries taking part
overall.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=ds><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV></BODY></HTML>