France Says 'Time Has Come' to Up Pressure on Lebanon
The French government said Monday that "the time has come" to increase international pressure on Lebanon's deeply divided political class to form a viable government for the crisis-wracked nation.
"The solution for ending Lebanon's crisis requires the creation of a competent government that is ready to work seriously and for the common good on implementing reforms that everyone acknowledges," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
"After seven months of blockage, the time has come to increase the pressure for this to happen," it said.
It added that Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had spoken with Lebanon's President Michel Aoun as well as Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri after they again failed to break the political deadlock.
"He reminded them that all of Lebanon's political parties bore all the responsibility for this impasse," the ministry said.
The Lebanese economy is in free-fall, with parliament approving Monday an emergency funding package simply to keep the lights on after one of the country's largest power plants ran out of fuel.
More than half the population lives in poverty, according to the United Nations, and protests flared again this month by a population fed up with a ruling elite lambasted as inefficient and corrupt.
"In this context, the deliberate obstructions to ending the crisis, in particular on the part of certain actors of the Lebanese political system with unreasonable demands dating from another era, must cease immediately," the French ministry said.
Le Drian is also asking European counterparts to join the push for action.
Last year French President Emmanuel Macron proposed a road map to break the political stalemate in the former French protectorate. Macron has been pressing Lebanese politicians to form a Cabinet made up of non-partisan specialists that can work on urgent reforms to extract Lebanon from a financial crisis worsened by the Aug. 4 explosion that devastated swathes of Beirut.
Those efforts have led to nowhere as Lebanon's politicians continue to bicker about the shape and size of a new Cabinet while the country is mired in the worst economic crisis in its modern history -- a situation exacerbated by pandemic restrictions.
29 March 2021, 22:28
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A one-million plus Cedar Revolution II demonstration in July will render all international interventions unnecessary and set the stage to get rid of the corrupt political class and the basij occupying army. No one believed a peaceful demonstration will kick the Syrian out in 2005, but it did. All talking heads trying to convince us HibIran rockets and militia are here to stay and we just have to accept this foreign occupation and live with it, are either idiots, with no dignity, or in collusion with foreign Iranian/Syrian criminal interests. Cedar Revolution II will liberate Lebanon, restore independence and sovereignty, usher our golden age, and restore our Resala to the world. Liberate the South to liberate Lebanon! Join us in July. The diaspora will cover all costs of this demonstration as it is 100% by Lebanese and for Lebanese.
30 March 2021, 07:54
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A successful protest march needs 2, or one of the 2 things: a) a charismatic leader ( Ghandi/Mandela) or b) momentum ( 2005 Hariri murder.)
Why don't you visit the batrak to convince him to lead the march, give some motion to your idea.
I am 5000 km away from Beirut, willing to come to join.
30 March 2021, 14:57
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Cedar Revolution II theme is the same as the Batrak's UN Neutrality and no arms outside army. It requires thousands of us who believe in sovereignty, independence, human dignity, freedom and democracy to get together and use our expertise to develop a multidisciplinary plan to save Lebanon. A workable plan to modernize government and economy; judicial independence; a system of transparency, accountability and responsibility; make all government processes uniform and online; comprehensive plan to invest in people (universities, mini Silicon Valleys); infrastructure (airports, monorail, tunnels, port, fiber optic, 5G); industry (automation, high standards); advanced agriculture; renewable energy/electric transportation, etc. A credible plan by experts will form the core, then the boule de neige will attract honest, competent and independent charismatic stewards to represent the plan in next election with defined timeline and milestones for implementation.
30 March 2021, 16:26
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Kazan, think of it as post-war Marshal Plan for Europe. If CRII and the silent majority exposes HizbIran as an invading force to enslave Lebanon for Iranian interests, the changes will be swift and profound. With neutrality and stability, Lebanon will quickly become the Singapore of the ME. Tunnels and pipelines will revive Beirut and Tripoli ports predominance for transit. Monorail along the coast and automation of government processes will cut congestion and pollution. Renewable and electrification will make us energy independent. Integrated archeologic sites, trail systems, cruise docking will restore tourism for all seasons. Fiber optic and 5G will be the backbone of mini Silicon Valleys and startup campuses throughout Lebanon. Every sector can have a detailed business plan and a good return of investment. The initial marshal plan help from our Arab and Western friends will be the seed capital... but all depend on Neutrality and long-term political stability.
