He assured Asharq Al-Awsat that any consensual path in the region is a positive matter
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati stressed the need to expedite the adoption of reform laws in preparation for signing the final agreement with the International Monetary Fund. In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, he said that what the government is doing is “immediate remedies that are required and essential to stop the collapse and ensure the continuity of the work of the state and institutions…but these measures are not the final solution.” He indicated that he sensed from the meetings and gatherings he holds abroad that there is no solution except in cooperation with the IMF, and there is no aid for Lebanon before reforms are accomplished, recalling that “the Lebanese file is in a secondary rank in terms of international interest.”
Mikati called for expediting the election of a new president, which would allow the country a grace period associated with the formation of a new government and the completion of the reforms workshop to open the door to a solution and recovery. He reaffirmed that the vacancy in the presidential position “is not the responsibility of the government,” calling on those who objected to the meetings it held to seek to elect the president. He added, “Government is continuity and there is no vacuum in power, and we will continue our work.”
Mikati expressed his satisfaction with the recent developments in the file of Saudi-Iranian relations, stressing that Lebanon automatically supports any consensual path in the region, especially that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a party to it, with its Arab and Islamic weight, and its broad regional influence.
He said that the relief that might result from this path must reflect positively on the entire region, including Lebanon.
Mikati: Those who object to government meetings should go to elect a president
