Prime Minister Designate, Saad Hariri, hoped that “the era of President Michel Aoun will be an era full of promise for all the Lebanese,” pointing out that “the president wants to accomplish many things during his term.”
Hariri told visitors and delegations to the Central House on Thursday that he planned to form a government that included all political parties.
Numerous popular, economic, and union delegations as well as political figures came to the Central House to congratulate Hariri for being PM designate charged with forming a new Cabinet.
In response to reporters’ questions, Hariri said, “I tell the Lebanese that the term of President Michel Aoun will be, God willing, an era full of promise for all the Lebanese, and I think it’s a good beginning… I say to the Lebanese do not lose hope; on the contrary, at some point we lost hope but the solutions are always in our hands. We have proven that we as Lebanese are able to devise solutions, and thankfully today we have a President in the Presidential Palace and we are done with the vacuum.”
Hariri sounded hopeful that all factions would cooperate and the government would form soon and elections would take place on time.
“I tell the Lebanese, be optimistic and God is with us.”
“Situations change when brave initiatives are taken, and I am full of hopeful that all political parties, including Speaker Nabih Berri who has been cooperative, want to see the term of President Michel Aoun a successful one from the get go.”
Hariri addressed all supporters of Future Movement who were celebrating his designation, that Future Movement was full of sacrifices. A proof of that was when Martyr Rafik Hariri sacrificed his own life for the country.
“Our political sacrifice today is but a drop in the sea of Martyr Rafik Hariri’s sacrifices.”
The challenges were many, according to Hariri, but he believed in Aoun’s intention to be an active president who could do a lot of good for the country.
Addressing those opposing current developments, the PM Designate asked them to give the new era a chance.
“We must be open to dialogue. Boycotting leads to division, which leads to paralysis. It was this paralysis that lead to presidential vacuum and a near economic catastrophe. The only one who saved us from that was the Central Bank Governor, Riyad Salameh.”
Hariri pointed out that there were many Lebanese abroad that needed to come back home to aid their country.
“We were able to save this country through agreement among political leaderships, even with those whom we radically disagree with, like Hezbollah and others. When it comes to Lebanon and the Lebanese, we are capable of reaching consensus and taking the country from one place to another.”
