Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, after a meeting with the president Saturday, said that the atmosphere surrounding the government formation was “positive.”
"[I had] a long session with his excellency and the atmosphere is positive," Hariri said, after a meeting with President Michel Aoun at Baabda Palace where they discussed the Cabinet formation, one day after the prime minister-designate held consultations with parliamentary blocs discussing the size and nature of the new government.
“The Cabinet will be one of specialists, in order to work quickly and in accordance with the French initiative,” Hariri said after his meeting with MPs Friday.
“I promise that every reform mentioned in the French initiative will be implemented,” Hariri said, stressing that the reforms can lift the country out of the economic crisis.
Hariri asked lawmakers to put their political disputes aside and form the government quickly to regain the confidence of the Lebanese people.
Lebanon has been left without a functioning government since then-Prime Minister Hassan Diab submitted his Cabinet’s resignation on Aug. 10 over the deadly explosion that destroyed Beirut Port and damaged half the capital.
Hariri, backed by France and regional powers, has previously said that he was ready to form a new government made up of specialists with a six-month mission to deal with two urgent issues: Halt the economic collapse and rebuild Beirut following the port blast, which killed nearly 200 people.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
