US urges Lebanese leaders to elect president

ALBAWABA - The U.S. State Department urged Lebanon's political leaders to expedite the election of a new president and enact essential reforms to save the country's collapsing economy.

The State Department's statement statement late Monday comes six months after the departure of President Michel Aoun and the subsequent failure of Lebanese politicians to elect a new leader.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Washington "calls on Lebanon’s political leadership to move expeditiously to elect a president to unite the country and swiftly enact the reforms needed to rescue its economy from crisis."

"Lebanon’s leaders must not put their personal interests and ambitions above the interests of their country and people," Miller said in a statement emailed to Albawaba.

"While it is for Lebanon’s elected leaders to form their own government, the United States believes Lebanon needs a president free of corruption who can unite the country, advocate for transparency and accountability, put the interests of Lebanon’s people first, move towards national unity, and implement critical economic reforms, chief among them those required to secure an International Monetary Fund (IMF) program."

Miller said the answers to Lebanon’s political and economic crises "can only come from within Lebanon, and not the international community."

"Now is the time for action to select appropriate leadership and save the country from further disaster," Miller maintained.