Salam Says Cabinet Won't Replace President, Calls for Prioritizing Nation's Interests

Prime Minister Tammam Salam stressed on Tuesday that his cabinet will not replace the president, pointing out that the political arch-foes should reach a political breakthrough to end the sharp rift and prioritize the nation's interests.

“Despite all the political rift, the government was able to provide an acceptable amount of stability and avert security tension that doesn't serve anyone,” Salam said during his opening speech for the 23rd Arab Economic Forum held at Phoenicia InterContinental Hotel.

He expressed concern that the Lebanese economy has been suffering from “an unprecedented tough situation during the past decade... and was recently hit by the closure” of the Nasib border point, which is a vital crossing on the Syrian-Jordanian border.

The customs authorities say Lebanese exports to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states in 2014 amounted to $920 million (821 million euros). Another $256 million was exported to Iraq.

But all those potential exports are now effectively stuck in Lebanon.

Before the Syrian crisis erupted in 2011, Lebanese products traveled frequently through Lebanon's neighbor, then on to Iraq to the east or to Jordan and Saudi Arabia in the Gulf to the south.

The agriculture ministry says that agricultural products make up 6 per cent of GDP and 17 per cent of total exports.

Salam hailed the efforts exerted by economic associations and the private sector that daily prove their competency and strong will to preserve the Lebanese economy despite all the obstacles.

The PM addressed the forum, saying: “The political rift... has unfortunately prohibited us from making decisions and locating important policies regarding the vital economic sector, which would have a positive impact on growth.”

“The security and political stability are a must to maintain a steady economic growth, which require the election of a new head of state.”

Salam remarked that “the government will not replace the presence of a president at the Baabda Palace, who would be carrying out his full Constitutional tasks,” stressing that “vacuum and the paralysis of the parliament are chocking the country on all levels.”

Lebanon has been without a president since May last year when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of a successor.

Ongoing disputes between the rival March 8 and 14 camps over a compromise candidate have thwarted the election.

Hizbullah's Loyalty to the Resistance and MP Michel Aoun's Change and Reform blocs have been boycotting the polls over the dispute.

Salam praised the Arab support to Lebanon, in particular that expressed by the Gulf Cooperation Council and Saudi Arabia.

“On behalf of all the Lebanese expats in the GCC and our armed forces, we thank Saudi King Salman and the brothers from Gulf countries for all their generous grants.”

There are around 500,000 Lebanese expats in the Gulf.

Last month, the UAE, which hosts 100,000 Lebanese workers, expelled around 70 expatriates, mostly Shiites.

In 2009, dozens of Lebanese Shiites who had lived in the UAE for years were expelled on suspicion of links with Hizbullah.

In 2013, Qatar deported 18 Lebanese nationals after the Gulf Cooperation Council decided to impose sanctions against Hizbullah for its military intervention in war-torn Syria to support President Bashar Assad.

H.K.

G.K.