I Relayed to Aoun U.N. Concerns Over Lack of Cabinet Deal
U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams said he relayed to Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun the world organization”s concern over the cabinet crisis and hoped PM-designate Saad Hariri would succeed in forming the government.
Williams said Wednesday he discussed with Aoun in Rabiyeh "the process of government formation in Lebanon and the difficulties that this has encountered since the June 7 parliamentary elections."
"I relayed to Gen. Aoun the concerns of the United Nations over the lack of an agreement on this matter. This in turn, we agreed, has delayed important steps that the new Lebanese government must take to tackle the many social, economic and security challenges facing the country," he added.
About Lebanon”s nomination for a rotating seat at the U.N. Security Council for the period 2010 to 2012, Williams said: "This is a very important role for Lebanon, which requires a fully functioning government that can follow up on many important international issues."
He told reporters he agreed with Aoun that it was vital to keep the channels of dialogue open between the different political parties and to make attempts to reach a solution as soon as possible.
"I believe that this is possible if the Lebanese remain committed to a national unity government and to working in that direction," Williams said, hoping Hariri”s five-day consultations with different parliamentary blocs on Thursday would be successful.
Williams also visited Caretaker Defense Minister Elias Murr. The two men discussed latest developments and the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701.