PARIS (Reuters) – France’s foreign ministry said on Friday that Lebanon’s political forces need to assume their responsibilities and immediately form a government under the auspices of Prime Minister Mustapha Adib.
“As Lebanon goes through an unprecedented crisis, France regrets that Lebanese politicians have not yet managed to keep the commitments they made on Sept. 1, 2020 according to the announced timetable,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Agnes von der Muhll said in a daily briefing.
“We urge all the Lebanese political forces to assume their responsibilities and agree without delay on the formation by Moustapha Adib of a mission government capable of launching the necessary reforms to meet the aspirations of the Lebanese people.”
President Emmanuel Macron set a Sept. 15 deadline to form a government. The French government has been leaning on Lebanon’s sectarian politicians to name a cabinet swiftly and embark on reforms to get the country out of the worst crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war.
(Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
