#France #Lebanon #Paris (#Threat?)
At a rare news conference devoted to Lebanon, Macron said that by failing to form a government, the political elite had agreed "to betray" their responsibilities and had committed "collective treason"
At a rare news conference devoted to Lebanon, Macron said that by failing to form a government, the political elite had agreed "to betray" their responsibilities and had committed "collective treason"
Mustapha Adib, Lebanon's leader-designate, stepped down on Saturday, saying he was unable to form a reform-minded government. "They have decided to betray this commitment (to form a government)," Macron told reporters, declaring he was "ashamed" of the country's leaders.
"I see that the Lebanese authorities and political forces chose to favour their partisan and individual interests to the detriment of the general interest of the the country," he added. He also sent a pointed warning to the Iran-backed Hezbollah Shiite party,
which was well served in the outgoing government and was accused of holding up the process by some analysts. Hezbollah should "not think it is more powerful than it is.... It must show that it respects all the Lebanese. And in recent days, it has clearly shown the opposite,"
said Macron. In order to introduce his roadmap, the French leader gave Lebanon's political class four to six weeks and said he would commit to holding in October a donor conference for Lebanon. He ruled out immediate sanctions.
In the aftermath of the blast, Macron, who had visited Lebanon twice, repeatedly urged the Lebanese not to waste any more time forming a government.
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