Sunday, 25 July, 2021 - 05:00
Lebanese President Michel Aoun. (AFP file photo) Beirut - Thaer Abbas
Lebanon’s Free Patriotic Movement, which was founded by President Michel Aoun, stressed its rejection of the designation of Najib Mikati as prime minister.
A prominent source from the FPM told Asharq Al-Awsat that its nomination of former ambassador to the United Nations Nawaf Salam to the post was not a “political maneuver aimed at upsetting Hezbollah or appeasing the Americans.”
Rather, the nomination is aimed at countering Mikati’s, “who is completely rejected,” he acknowledged.
Meanwhile, informed sources said Aoun is committed to holding consultations to name a premier on Monday even if an agreement is not reached on a candidate beforehand.
April 19, 2021 at 10:52 am | Published in: Lebanon, Middle East, News
Former Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil on 26 November 2019 [ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP via Getty Images] April 19, 2021 at 10:52 am
The head of Lebanon s Free Patriotic Movement warned on Sunday that the country s corrupt system is preparing to overthrow state institutions and seize national assets. Usually in failed states, people turn against tyrannical regimes, to overthrow them and recover their looted rights, explained Gebran Bassil MP on Twitter. However, in our case, the corrupt system has turned against the people and seized their money while preparing to overthrow the state s institutions and its very existence.
Saturday, 3 April, 2021 - 08:45 Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri (Dalati & Nohra). Beirut - Mohammed Shukair
A prominent political source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the head of Lebanon s Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), former Minister Gebran Bassil, was still obstructing the formation of a new government and disregarding recent European warnings about imposing sanctions on Lebanese officials.
In an official communiqué last week, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has warned Lebanese officials of EU pressure if they continue to obstruct government-making after months of deadlock.
Le Drian warned of “identifying European Union leverage for stepping up pressure on those responsible for the deadlock”, in an allusion to potential sanctions. The statement came after the French minister spoke by phone with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri.
Middle-East Arab News and Opinion - Asharq Al-Awsat is the world’s premier pan-Arab daily newspaper, printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities
Lebanon s Bassil Eager to Take Part in Pope s Reception in Baghdad aawsat.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from aawsat.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.