Lebanon’s Hariri rejects attempts to curtail his power

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said yesterday that he rejects any attempts to stop him forming the next government.

Hariri made the remarks in a statement released by his media office after a meeting held with Lebanese Parliament Speaker, Nabih Berri.

In the statement, Hariri said “he had agreed with Berri on the need to form a government as soon as possible, given the economic situation in Lebanon”.

“There is a golden opportunity now with the implementation of the Cedar conference despite the deteriorating economic situation,” he said.

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In April, France hosted the Cedar conference to support the Lebanese economy.

Hariri said that “forming the government is a priority,” adding:

We must ignore our differences to achieve the national interest, and the parties should make sacrifices for Lebanon.

“We agreed to urge the parties to form a government, and I will have many meetings in the coming days,” he added.

Hariri called on political parties to “focus on the national interest, not on ministerial quotas”.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun appointed Hariri as prime minister in May and tasked him with forming a government.