[ad_1]
Al Ain News Carol sabbagh
Thursday 9/17/2020 1:42 PM Abu Dhabi time
There is a state of anticipation in Lebanon after the postponement of a meeting between Prime Minister-designate Mustafa Adib and the country’s President Michel Aoun amid cautious optimism to end the stalled government formation archive before that the time for the French initiative is too late.
After the negative atmosphere prevailed over the consultations until last night, he announced some progress in the line of government formation that led to the postponement of Adib’s visit to the President of the Republic, which was scheduled for this morning until the afternoon.
Local media in Lebanon also reported that the French deadline that was supposed to end today was extended until the end of the week, which was indicated by yesterday’s Elysee Palace statement that “it is not too late.”
And earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron, during his visit to Beirut, called on the Lebanese parties to form a government in 15 days, but it did not happen.
Adeeb’s visit to the presidential palace was postponed based on some positive data that resulted from a meeting that brought together Hezbollah representatives and the French ambassador to Lebanon, Bruno Foche, last night, according to sources familiar with Al- Ain News.
The accession of the Shiite duo (Hezbollah and Amal) to obtain the Ministry of Finance and nominate the Shiite ministers prevents the formation of the government.
Sources in the Presidency of the Republic told Al-Ain Al-Akhbariya that Adeeb called President Aoun and asked him to postpone the visit until the afternoon. Make way for more contacts.
In response to a question on whether Adeeb will transfer his government formation to Aoun, the sources said: “Nothing is certain so far.”
For its part, the Lebanese channel “LBC” revealed that the meeting of the international relations official in Hezbollah, Ammar Al-Mousawi, with the French ambassador last night, and the contacts with the president of Parliament, Nabih Berri, led to some dissolution and the French acceptance of the couple’s access to financing in principle. .
According to information from the channel, “the elements of the solution have not been completed for two reasons: the first is if the finances are maintained with the two parties there for fear of opening the way to other forces to demand specific bags and impose their conditions. “.
The second is awaiting what the French will do to persuade former Prime Minister Saad Hariri to back down on finances in favor of the Shiite duo that clings to the Finance Ministry and thus refuses to rotate the distribution of funds. ministerial portfolios between sects according to the French initiative.
Anticipation continues to dominate the situation in the coming hours, as it is expected to be decisive in terms of what Adeeb’s visit to the presidential palace will entail or that the negotiations are completed until the weekend.
Especially since the information had indicated that Adib had previously informed French President Emmanuel Macron of his intention to apologize before the first deadline that was to end on Tuesday was extended until Thursday.
In a strongly worded statement, the French presidency yesterday called on Lebanese politicians to “shoulder their responsibilities”, expressing their “regret” for not honoring the promises they made during President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to form a government “in 15 days.” .
Despite this, the Elysee Palace considered that “it is not too late … for everyone to assume their responsibilities only for the good of Lebanon and allow Prime Minister Mostafa Adib to form a government as dangerous as the situation.”
He added: “We are following the situation with interest and are continuing our contacts with Lebanese officials to renew this urgent message.”
Various criticisms were directed at the Shiite duo, warning against abandoning the French initiative, which could be the last chance to save Lebanon.
The head of the Lebanese Forces Party, Samir Geagea, believed that what is happening with regard to the formation of the government is a complete sham.
Geagea said in a series of tweets on Twitter: “After all the political parties gave their word to facilitate the formation of a new government for various reasons, a rescue government is working to pick up the situation in the country as quickly as possible. , and return life to the economic cycle to a minimum, we listened again when we reached a point of formation like this. A government with theories that originally had ruined the country.
He added: “It is as if the parliamentary blocs do not give confidence to the government if it is not consulted in the names of its members and the distribution of bags for them, and this is what was happening in the last 15 years and that took us to what we have achieved “.
He stressed that the French initiative is a great and serious attempt to save Lebanon, and his frustration and the attempt to end it in this way is a crime.
Before Geagea, former Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Progressive Socialist Party Chairman Walid Jumblatt condemned the position of the Shiite duo, who cling to the Finance Ministry on the grounds that the Finance Minister had the third signature on all decisions and decrees issued with the signature of the Christian president and the Sunni prime minister.
“The Ministry of Finance and other ministerial portfolios are not the exclusive right of any sect,” Hariri wrote on his Twitter account. “The refusal to rotate is a frustration and a violation described as the right of last resort to save Lebanon and the Lebanese.”
Walid Jumblatt also said on Twitter: “It seems that some did not understand or did not want to understand that the French initiative is the last chance to save Lebanon and prevent its disappearance, as its foreign minister clearly said.”
