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Aoun Says Relations with Saudi Arabia Back to Normal

Aoun meets with the reporters of French news outlets. Dalati and Nohra photo
Aoun meets with the reporters of French news outlets. Dalati and Nohra photo
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Aoun Says Relations with Saudi Arabia Back to Normal

Aoun meets with the reporters of French news outlets. Dalati and Nohra photo
Aoun meets with the reporters of French news outlets. Dalati and Nohra photo

Lebanese President Michel Aoun has stressed that relations with Saudi Arabia were back to normal, saying the funds and loans secured by Lebanon at the CEDRE conference held in Paris last week will help the country’s economy.

In a meeting with journalists from several French news outlets on Sunday, Aoun said that the Saudi contribution at the CEDRE conference is a sign of rapprochement between the two countries.

“We now have bigger confidence in relations with Saudi Arabia because they are back to normal,” the president told the reporters at Baabda Palace.

Asked about promises made by Lebanon to carry out reforms, he said the country can overcome some difficulties in the implementation of projects.

“As for fighting corruption, it is much more difficult because it spans several sectors,” Aoun stated. “Some influential figures continue to protect corrupt individuals. So at first those involved in corruption should be held accountable.”

International donors pledged on Friday more than $11 billion in low-interest loans and aid for Lebanon at the Paris conference. Lebanon for its part promised a string of reforms including tougher measures to fight corruption.

The conference was aimed at giving Lebanon a boost as it prepares for its first general elections in almost a decade in May.

Aoun stressed that the parliament would witness changes during next month’s elections because the new electoral law allows both the minority and the majority to be represented.

Asked about repeated calls made by Lebanese officials for the return of Syrian refugees to their home country, the president said that the displaced can go back to Syria after military confrontations have been limited to small pockets.

“Bashar Assad is currently the president of his country,” Aoun said.

“We must engage with the existing government - we have no other option,” he stated, responding to a question about Assad’s political future.

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Aoun Wants Formation of ‘Consensual’ Lebanese Govt Representing All Components

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
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Aoun Wants Formation of ‘Consensual’ Lebanese Govt Representing All Components

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is advocating the formation of a government of “consensus” that includes representatives from all political factions.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam has requested that parliamentary blocs submit non-partisan nominees for ministerial positions, emphasizing that they must not belong to any political party.

Aoun stressed on Tuesday that all components of society have the right to be represented in the government, parliament and public administration, as this is already practiced in the army.

“We have significant opportunities that we hope to seize by uniting all elements of Lebanese society—civil, spiritual, and political. Together, we can rebuild our nation,” he declared.

Highlighting the importance of meeting international expectations, Aoun hoped for the rapid formation of a government to achieve political, economic, and security stability, which would allow citizens “to live with dignity, not merely in relative comfort.”

During meetings with professional delegations at the Presidential Palace, Aoun said: “We are at a crossroads. Either we take advantage of the current circumstances and rise above sectarian, religious, and political divisions, or we head in a different direction and bear full responsibility for failing to fulfill our duties.”

Negotiations between Aoun, Salam, and political factions over the formation of a government are ongoing. The discussions, which kicked off last week, have reportedly made progress, with efforts directed toward expediting the government formation process, issuing decrees, preparing a ministerial statement, and securing its vote of confidence from lawmakers.

While the Shiite duo of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement appear to have finalized their proposed nominees for the government, disagreements over the ministerial statement remain.

MP Waddah Sadek, who is backed by the opposition, firmly rejected the inclusion of the “Army, People, Resistance” term in the statement. He declared: “No ‘blocking third’ in the government, and no unconstitutional gimmicks. The slogan of the new phase in Lebanon should be: the ‘Army, People, and State.’”

The Kataeb Party echoed this stance, stressing that Lebanon, emerging from a devastating war between Hezbollah and Israel, must align with the Aoun’s inaugural speech and Salam’s remarks by ensuring the ministerial statement exclusively underscores the state’s monopoly over arms and the defense of the nation.

“The government must act decisively, dismantle militias, strictly enforce the ceasefire, and uphold its provisions across all Lebanese territory,” it demanded.

The Kataeb Party also urged Aoun and Salam to resist the “great extortion” by Hezbollah and Amal to secure specific ministries or positions, in violation of the inaugural speech, calling instead for the application of uniform standards to ensure the government’s success.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah adopted a more confrontational tone.

MP Hussein Hajj Hassan, a member of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, commented: “To those betting on Hezbollah’s weakness or the weakness of the Hezbollah-Amal alliance, what will you say when the government is formed? What will you say when you realize the strength of Hezbollah, the alliance, and the resistance’s supporters across all segments of Lebanese society? What will you say when you see the unwavering determination and unity of the resistance at every critical juncture?”