Western diplomats have warned against further delay in holding Lebanese government sessions that have been suspended over differences between political parties caused by a deadly shooting in the Aley region.
Cabinet sessions have been stalled since the June 30 incident when two members of Talal Arslan’s Lebanese Democratic Party were killed in a shootout.
Despite efforts made by President Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Saad Hariri no cabinet session was held in Lebanon this week.
Aoun and Hariri agreed to suspend sessions pending a solution to the crisis that emerged over demands to refer to the Judicial Council the killing of the two aides of State Minister for Refugee Affairs Saleh al-Gharib.
The diplomats warned that failure to hand over the shooting suspects to the authorities could lead to more tension and therefore paralyze the government.
“The economic and financial situation in the country ... needs a political and security atmosphere that would give confidence to investors,” they said, adding that Lebanon needs stability to encourage tourists to visit the country.
A major power ambassador also said that “the cabinet needs to convene to pass the 2019 budget ahead of ... implementing the decisions reached at the CEDRE” conference held in Paris last year.
