Hariri says efforts to form new govt facing obstacles

Lebanon keen to strengthen Saudi ties; Riyadh invites Aoun to visit Saudi Arabia

Lebanon’s prime minister-designate Saad al-Hariri said yesterday his efforts to form a new government faced “stumbling blocks”, testing hopes he could quickly steer the country out of its political crisis.
Hariri was named prime minister more than two weeks ago in a political deal that saw former army commander Michel Aoun, an ally of the Iran-backed Shia group Hezbollah, fill the presidency, which had been vacant for 2-1/2 years due to political divisions.
Optimistic statements from rival politicians had given rise to hopes that the new cabinet would be in office in time for Lebanese independence day, which falls today.
But casting doubt on how quickly the government would be formed, Hariri said “there are some stumbling blocks” after meeting Aoun yesterday. “There is someone complicating matters,” he said, without saying who.
Tensions have arisen among rival leaders over portfolio distribution, the number of ministries in the new cabinet, and a contentious electoral law which needs to be passed for a parliamentary election to be held in 2017.
Lebanon urgently needs effective government to address long-pending economic and development issues such as improving infrastructure, organising refuse disposal and tapping offshore oil and gas reserves.
Political tensions have paralysed decision-making and raised fears for Lebanon’s stability.
The country has not had a parliamentary election since 2009.
These tensions have been exacerbated by war in neighbouring Syria, where Iran is a political and military ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Also yesterday, Riyadh invited Aoun to visit and he said he was keen to strengthen ties with the kingdom.
In February, Riyadh cancelled a $3bn aid package for the Lebanese army and also advised big-spending Saudis not to visit Lebanon, which relies heavily on tourism.
This coincided with a financial crisis at the Saudi Oger construction firm belonging to the Hariri family.
Saudi Prince Khaled al-Faisal, governor of Makkah and an adviser to the king, said during an official visit to Lebanon that Aoun had promised to visit as soon as a new Lebanese government was formed.