Aoun Blames Dialogue Boycotters for Continued Paralysis of All Authorities

President Michel Aoun on Thursday lashed out at those who announced their boycott of his proposed national dialogue conference and those who boycotted the preparatory bilateral meetings.

“Following the consultations that President Michel Aoun held with the parliament speaker, the prime minister and the heads of parliamentary blocs, regarding the call for dialogue, it turned out that a number of them rejected consultations as some rejected dialogue, which holds them responsible for the continued all-out paralysis of the government, judiciary and parliament,” the Presidency said in a statement.

The statement, however, said that Aoun’s dialogue call “will remain open” and that he hopes boycotters will “put their patriotic sense before any other interests.”

“He calls on them to stop the arrogance, look into what the Lebanese people are suffering and agree as soon as possible to hold a frank dialogue so that we decide our fate with our own hands, based on a national will, so that we don’t get forced in the future to accept the opposite of what we wish for our country,” the statement added.

It also cautioned that “the continued disruption of Cabinet sessions” is a “premeditated disruption of the financial and economic recovery plan, without which there can be neither negotiations with the International Monetary Fund nor assistance and reforms.”

This “will further decay the state and deepen the collapse and is an unforgivable crime against the people,” the statement warned.

Thanking “those who attended and responded” to his effort, Aoun also announced, in the statement, that he “will carry on with his call for dialogue without hesitation,” and will continue to “take any initiative or decision aimed at protecting Lebanon and the Lebanese.”