Aoun: Working on Resolving Dispute with Gulf States
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The Lebanese President meets the head of the European Parliament delegation for relations with the Middle East, stressing pursuing efforts to resolve the dispute with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain.
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Lebanese President Michel Aoun and the European Parliamentary delegation
On Tuesday, Lebanese President Michel Aoun said that addressing the dispute with Saudi Arabia and several Gulf countries "is continuing at various levels, in the hope of reaching appropriate solutions."
During his meeting with the head of the European Parliament delegation for relations with the Middle East, Isabel Santos, Aoun stressed that "preparations are underway to hold parliamentary elections on time, in an atmosphere of freedom and transparency."
Aoun added that the government is proceeding with preparations for negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on an economic recovery plan that will help rebuild the national economy on a productive basis, adding that the plan will contribute to achieving the reforms that Lebanon wants and the international community will help in implementing.
He pointed out that "the anti-corruption process is ongoing," saying that "practical steps" began with the financial audit, which is meant to "determine the responsibilities to take appropriate measures against those responsible for any abuses which occurred and led to a decline in the financial situation in the country, which we are witnessing today."
رئيسة وفد البرلمان الأوروبي للعلاقات مع الشرق الاوسط بعد لقائها الرئيس عون: لتفعيل عمل الحكومة من أجل تعزيز الإصلاحات ومحاربة الفساد، ونشدد على اجراء الانتخابات النيابية والتحقيق في انفجار مرفأ بيروت
— Lebanese Presidency (@LBpresidency) November 2, 2021
For her part, Santos said that she will discuss with Lebanese officials the crisis that is afflicting Lebanon, in different economic, social, and political aspects. She added that preparations for agreeing with the IMF are being discussed, describing the matter as "urgent".
Earlier today, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati met with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, on the sidelines of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, where Blinken affirmed what he described as support for the government's efforts to restore stability and achieve economic recovery and for the ongoing negotiations with the IMF, up to organizing the parliamentary elections.
