Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hassan Diab harshly criticized French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, accusing him of having “incomplete information” on the reform paths adopted by his government.
Opposition political sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Diab has engaged into an “unjustified political clash with the French government, which has not hesitated to stand with Lebanon and give it the chance to stop the economic and financial collapse.”
The sources expressed surprise at Diab’s comments against Le Drian, “who represents the country that was the first to call for an opportunity to save the Lebanese government.”
They stressed that it was not permissible to criticize the delegate of the French government, which did not hesitate to communicate with the United States and a number of Arab countries that had participated in the CEDRE Conference.
The opposition circles considered that Diab's criticism of the French minister directed a political blow to the French ambassador. They noted that his position neither reflects that of the government, nor meets the approach adopted by President Michel Aoun.
The sources underlined that the Lebanese premier confirmed, through his statements, what Arab states told Paris about the ineffectiveness of dealing with a government, which decided to bind its decisions to the will of the Free Patriotic Movement and Hezbollah rather than committing to the policy of self-distancing.
The same opposition sources pointed to the fact that the government is mired with internal confusion as it is unable to adhere to the reforms it had undertaken in its policy statement, which caused a major embarrassment before the international community.
Following Le Drian’s visit to Lebanon last week, Diab has reportedly told a cabinet meeting that the French minister’s warning and “lack of information” about government reforms indicated an “international decision not to assist Lebanon.” Diab has later deleted a tweet stating the same.
