After a rare visit to President Michel Aoun, Saudi Arabia‘s ambassador in Lebanon Walid Bin Abdullah Bukhari urged Lebanese politicians to form a new government quickly and take the country out of its various crises.
The rare meeting came a day after Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri failed to break the government formation deadlock. It was reportedly Bukhari’s first meeting with Aoun in over a year.
Bukhari reiterated Saudi Arabia‘s support for Lebanon, saying, “I assured his excellency the president of the kingdom’s commitment to Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and the need to speed up the formation of a government capable of fulfilling the Lebanese people’s aspirations for security, stability, and prosperity.”
Bukhari also stressed the need for drastic reforms for Lebanon that can restore the confidence of the international community, as well as for political parties to prioritize the higher national interest.
“Saudi Arabia has always declared its standing and solidarity with the brotherly Lebanese people who are steadfast in the face of crises,” he assured.
Aoun also met with the French ambassador in Lebanon, Anne Grillo, in which he assured that he was adhering to the French initiative to form a rescue government.
That being said, Aoun and Hariri held their 18th meeting on Monday yet failed again to agree on a Cabinet format.
While Hariri is focused on selecting an 18-member Cabinet of non-partisan specialists who will make reforms to halt the country’s collapse, Aoun is reportedly focused on a Cabinet based on sectarian politics and gaining veto power for his political side.
Their months-lingering disagreement has compelled Patriarch Al-Rahi to call the country’s leaders to end their conditions obstructing the government formation, which shouldn’t take more than 24 hours in his opinion, warning that it could “lead to chaos that will not show mercy to anyone.”
Meanwhile, the crises are expanding, and food prices are skyrocketing, including the basics like bread and eggs, making the living conditions in the country harsher than ever.
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