PM-Designate Salam: Efforts to form new government ongoing "despite conditions and counter conditions"

Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam met on Thursday with President Michel Sleiman at the Baabda Palace.

Following the meeting, PM-Designate said that the formation of a new government requires further efforts "away from the media spotlight," adding that he is cooperating with President Sleiman in this regard "despite the conditions and counter conditions" of some Lebanese leaders.

"As long as people have confidence in me, I will continue deploying my efforts," Salam added.

He also noted that the Lebanese political parties "are not easy to deal with," adding that there should be serious intentions for the government to be formed.

Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced the cabinet's resignation on Friday March 22, after talks deadlocked over the extension of Internal Security Forces chief Major General Ashraf Riff's mandate and the formation of an Election Supervisory Committee.

Salam was named Prime Minister-Designate after the second round of the binding parliamentary consultations to name a prime minister ended on the 6th of Aprilat the Baabda Palace, with 124 deputies nominating Salam as Prime Minister.