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France, US urge Lebanese politicians to form credible government

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France and the United States have called on Lebanese politicians to form a new government.

While disclosing this in a statement intended to show unity between the two allies on Thursday January 4, 2021, the Lebanese politicians were also urged to provide the findings of the investigations into the Beirut port blast,

Under the administration of former US president Donald Trump, Paris and Washington had differences over their foreign policy on Lebanon. While Trump backed a French initiative to resolve the crisis in Lebanon, he opposed efforts to include Hezbollah, which Washington brands a terrorist group.

Thursday’s statement was signed by both French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, newly appointed by President Joe Biden who took office on Jan 22.

“The commemoration of six months of this tragic event underscores the urgent and vital need for Lebanese officials to finally implement their commitment to form a credible and effective government and to work towards carrying out the necessary reforms,” they said.

As families of the Beirut port blast victims marked half a year since the deadly August 4 port blast, French Ambassador to Lebanon Anne Grillo also called for speedy action.

French President Emmanuel Macron travelled to Lebanon twice, including two days after the explosion, and has vowed to visit again soon.

Yet his demands for an overhaul of Lebanon’s perennially corrupt politics have fallen on deaf ears.

Nearly six months after the government resigned over the port blast, a new cabinet led by PM-designate Saad Hariri has yet to be formed and Lebanon’s economy is left to continue its free fall.

Grillo said that six months on from the explosion, “it is unacceptable that Lebanon should still be without a government to tackle the social and sanitary crises, and begin the structural reforms the country needs to recover and stabilize.”

“Six months after the explosion, it is unacceptable that the Lebanese should still be waiting for answers from its leaders,” she said in a statement.

One of the largest non-nuclear blasts in history was caused by a vast stock of highly explosive ammonium nitrate that had sat for years in a port warehouse, a stone’s throw from residential districts.

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