Lebanon: Aoun, Mikati Resume Government Formation Talks

A handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows (R to L) Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati meeting with President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of the capital on August 17, 2022. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
A handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows (R to L) Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati meeting with President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of the capital on August 17, 2022. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
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Lebanon: Aoun, Mikati Resume Government Formation Talks

A handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows (R to L) Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati meeting with President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of the capital on August 17, 2022. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
A handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows (R to L) Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati meeting with President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of the capital on August 17, 2022. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)

Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati has resumed talks with President Michel Aoun on forming a government following weeks of deadlock over disagreements with the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and the presidency.

In a statement on Wednesday, Baabda Palace said that Aoun met with Mikati to discuss the formation of the new government.

Addressing reporters following the talks, the premier-designate said that the meeting focused on a cabinet lineup that he had presented to Aoun end of June, asserting that their viewpoints were “converging”.

Al-Jadeed channel reported that Mikati has informed the president of the details of the ministerial meeting held on Tuesday, and discussed with him several problems, including oil and electricity.

FPM MP Asaad Dergham said the lineup proposed by Mikati could see some minor amendments in order to form the government.

Separately, the head of the Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea, said that work was underway to unify efforts among opposition parties and the new parliament members.

Following a meeting with Sweden’s ambassador to Lebanon, Ann Dismorr, Geagea expressed his rejection to any presidential settlement with the Hezbollah-led coalition.

"The concerns and interests of Hezbollah contradict with the interests of Lebanon," he said.



More Than 50,000 Refugees Return to Syria from Türkiye

A boy cycles past buildings which were damaged during the war between opposition forces and the Assad regime, in the town of Harasta, on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
A boy cycles past buildings which were damaged during the war between opposition forces and the Assad regime, in the town of Harasta, on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
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More Than 50,000 Refugees Return to Syria from Türkiye

A boy cycles past buildings which were damaged during the war between opposition forces and the Assad regime, in the town of Harasta, on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
A boy cycles past buildings which were damaged during the war between opposition forces and the Assad regime, in the town of Harasta, on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Türkiye’s Interior Affairs Minister said Thursday that a total of 52,622 refugees have returned to Syria from Türkiye in the first month following Bashar Assad’s removal from power on Dec. 8.
Speaking at the Cilvegozu border crossing between Türkiye and Syria on Thursday, Ali Yerlikaya said that more than 40,000 Syrians had returned with family members while some 11,000 individuals crossed into Syria alone.
“The voluntary, safe, honorable and regular returns have started to increase,” Yerlikaya said.
Türkiye has hosted the largest number of Syrian refugees since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011 — more than 3.8 million at its peak in 2022.