Hariri: Regional Situation to Expedite Govt. Formation, LF Won't be Excluded

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri announced Friday that the volatile “regional situation” will play a role in expediting the formation of the new government.

“We want a national consensus government and the regional situation will expedite its formation as long as there is domestic consensus,” Hariri said after meeting ex-PM Salim al-Hoss in Beirut at the beginning of protocol consultations with former premiers after his designation.

“We want a government containing national agreement on the main topics and some details and we must work with positivity,” Hariri added.

“We all want the country's interest and Lebanon must implement reforms,” he stressed.

Noting that the outgoing government “made many achievements,” the PM-designate said the new government should work in the same way.

As for the Lebanese Forces' participation in the government, Hariri added: “The LF won in the elections, so why would it be excluded.”

And noting that al-Mustaqbal Movement will not nominate any of its MPs for ministerial portfolios, the PM-designate emphasized that there is no “dispute” between him and caretaker Interior Minster Nouhad al-Mashnouq dismissing media reports in this regard.