Lebanon's Hariri says priority to form government, re-engage IMF

Lebanon’s Prime Minister-designate Saad Al-Hariri said today after meeting with President Michel Aoun that the priority was to form a government to halt the country’s financial collapse and re-start talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“The main priority of any government is to prevent the collapse that we are facing today … that we proceed to start halting the collapse with the IMF and regain the trust of the international community,” he said at a news conference.

Today’s meeting took place after Aoun told Hariri last night to form a new government immediately or make way for someone else. Hariri had hit back by telling Aoun that if he could not approve his cabinet line-up, then the president should call early elections.

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