Arab League urges Lebanon to act quickly to resolve crises
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Alaina
- . April 11, 2021
- . Update: April 10, 2021 8:23 pm
Arab League Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki has renewed the bloc’s willingness to help with negotiations among Lebanese political parties to bring an end to the deadlock in forming a new stable government.
As part of his visit to the crisis-hit country, Zaki met Lebanese President Michel Aoun at the Baabda Palace on Thursday. During his meeting, the Arab League Assistant Secretary-General called for improving the political situation in order to revive the country from economic deterioration.
“I have expressed the readiness of the Arab League to assist in negotiations among the main political parties to facilitate cabinet formation in Lebanon,” Zaki said, after the meeting with Aoun.
He also held key meetings with Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab and House Speaker Nabih Berri. During discussions with them, Zaki urged for immediate action to find a political solution to resolve the crisis in the country. “The worst is yet to come, and action must be taken before it is too late,” Zaki warned.
As per reports, the Lebanese President expressed gratitude towards the support provided by the Arab League to the country.
Lebanon has been without a government since the former Prime Minister Hassan Diab and his cabinet resigned in the wake of the massive blast at Beirut port on August 4. Months of political deadlock between President Aoun and PM-designate Saad al-Hariri over the formation of a new cabinet have resulted in intensifying economic and financial crisis in Lebanon.
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Last month, the Arab League expressed its readiness to mediate the negotiations between the Lebanese political leadership. Arab nations have also urged Lebanese politicians to quickly work on resolving the crisis.
“I renew the Arab League’s readiness to do whatever it takes to heal the current rift in order to reach an agreed-upon equation that enables the premier-designate to form his government without obstruction, in accordance with the French initiative, which was endorsed by the League Council in its last meeting on March 3,” Ambassador Hossam Zaki said, as quoted by media reports.
After several rounds of meetings, Aoun and Hariri have failed to agree on a new cabinet. Since no further meeting between the two leaders has been scheduled yet, economic and political crises continue to loom on the country. At the same time, political leaders have not been able to agree on a rescue plan to review the country from the deep financial crisis in the absence of a government.
