Lebanese President Michel Aoun has decided to postpone the binding parliamentary consultations, which were scheduled to be held this Thursday, until Oct. 22, upon the request of some parliamentary blocs, a statement by the presidential office said.
Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Aoun contacted Speaker Nabih Berri and former Prime Minister Saad Hariri before announcing the decision, stressing the need to resolve a new obstacle, represented by the rejection of the Lebanese Forces and the Free Patriotic Movement to designate Hariri to head the new government.
In response, both Berri and Hariri said they were against delaying the consultations.
Contacts over the past days have reflected a positive atmosphere surrounding the government formation process, with a Sunni consensus over Hariri’s nomination and the support of independent Christian figures, the Marada Movement, the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), as well as Amal Movement.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, sources in Hariri’s Al-Mustaqbal party said that the former premier did not set any conditions for his appointment, adding that he was a natural candidate for the post. The sources added that Hariri has called for cooperation among all parties “to help the country overcome the crisis.”
“All efforts should be combined to benefit from the last opportunity to save the country by adopting the French initiative,” they emphasized.
Ongoing political talks are focusing on the need to form a transitional government that would implement reform steps to save the country from collapse within a period of six months, while postponing thorny issues, such as the national defense strategy and Hezbollah’s weapons.
“Thus, Hariri requests mutual facilitation from all sides to implement these steps,” Al-Mustaqbal sources said.
