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Lebanon’s Aoun: No Fears from Delayed Government Formation…Battle Continues with Provokers of Political Crisis | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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President Aoun and First Lady lights the Christmas Tree at the Presidential Palace in Baabda on Tuesday/ Dalati & Nohra


Beirut – Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun saw on Tuesday there is no fear from a delay in the cabinet formation, hoping the government will soon see the light to achieve the already set goals, on top of which is fighting corruption.

Speaking during his meeting with the Union of Beirut Families at Baabda Palace, Aoun asserted he would fight the parties that are provoking political crises, adding that people must be encouraged to support his ideas.

The president said sustainable negligence and corruption in the country are causing a financial instability and a “brain drain”.

Aoun stressed that the government would be formed, calling for comfort – not fear.

In the next phase, Lebanon’s newly elected President said several important issues should be addressed, notably the environment, water and the electricity.

From his part, head of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said on Tuesday that his party’s relations with the so-called Hezbollah would not change. The foreign minister said the FPM relationship with “Hezbollah” came as a culmination of honesty, commitment, loyalty, efforts and blood.

“Our relation with Hezbollah is at its best,” Bassil said, adding that a “Christian-Shiite row shall neither occur today nor in the future.”

Speaking during a press conference following his party’s weekly meeting, Bassil rejected the principles of annulment and isolation, stressing efforts to include all sides in the government.

“We call for the representation of everyone in the government including the Phalange Party, Marada Movement, SSNP, Arslan, and March 8 affiliated Sunnis… A 24-member government can accommodate all without fixed norms or constants,” Bassil said.
Speaking about his party’s relation with the Future Movement, Bassil said that both sides agreed on a national partnership, stressing that any clash with the Sunni party is a “taboo.”

Bassil also separated the government path from the electoral law, calling for the endorsement of a new electoral law before next spring’s parliamentary elections.

Deputy Secretary General of the so-called Hezbollah, Naim Qassem said the party is stable with its allies. “All attempts to shake our supporters are null because they are based on amplifying the details to harm those alliances,” he said.