Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai concurred on the need to elect a president of the Republic, as a pre-requisite for ensuring Lebanon’s stability.
“The fundamental solution begins with electing a president of the Republic to restore overall stability in the country.” “It is a top priority,” especially as “indications suggest the country is heading back towards stability,” Mikati said on Friday following a meeting with al-Rai in Bkerke.
Mikati said that he explained to Patriarch al-Rai that the caretaker government’s goal isn’t to trespass on the president’s prerogatives or to take over control of his authority, “but to manage the affairs of the state and maintain national equilibrium.”
On the situation in south Lebanon, where cross-border confrontations between Hezbollah and the Israeli Army have been escalating since October 8, Mikati emphasized that the solution lies in the full implementation of all international decisions from the “ceasefire agreement” between Lebanon and Israel to UN Resolution 1701.
“We are prepared to commit, provided that the Israeli side complies and withdraws from the occupied territories according to international laws and decisions,” Mikati said.
Regarding the controversial circumstances that surrounded the extension of the Army commander’s tenure, Mikati noted that most importantly, “the outcome was positive, as it resulted in the stability of the Lebanese Army.”
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On another note, Mikati said he informed the patriarch that the government is conducting “a comprehensive study as we are committed to reviewing production allowances and correcting salaries for the public sector, security, military, and retirees.”
“However, we are committed to a certain spending ceiling to prevent any disruption in the pound’s exchange rate,” he added.
