Commitment to Resolution 1701: PM Mikati's Cabinet session priorities

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati confirmed that he met with the German Foreign Minister and Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, as both officials announced their respective initiatives aimed at aiding Lebanon.

At the beginning of the Cabinet session, he emphasized full commitment to implementing the provisions of Resolution 1701 in its entirety.

He clarified that the speculations regarding negotiations for the post-war phase in southern Lebanon are inaccurate and do not faithfully represent the initial discussions that occurred.

He called for avoiding discussions on this matter to safeguard Lebanon's stance on reclaiming all Lebanese rights.

He affirmed that the sacrifices, resilience, and unity of the Lebanese stand as "the clearest response to all challenges facing them."

He emphasized, "Our firm stance is that constitutional stability hinges on electing a president. Political disagreements should not impede Lebanese unity in swiftly rescuing our country from imminent threats. Neither can the people endure further delays, nor do we intend to shoulder the burden of governing alone. Shared responsibility is key to our path to recovery."

He added, "We are closely monitoring the economic situation, particularly the rise in the prices of food, medical supplies, and school and university fees."

He urged the relevant ministers to tackle the issue by finding a balanced approach that considers citizens' economic capabilities and the costs of maintaining essential services, ensuring quality without succumbing to greed, exploitation, or opportunism.

He clarified that he received a report from the committee tasked with amending the monetary and credit law, including the proposed reasons for the amendments and a comparison table between the current text of the law and the proposed text.

He pointed out that the amendments were essential, not just formal, noting that this is the first amendment to the law since its inception in 1963. 

Before presenting the draft law to the Parliament, the General Secretariat of the Cabinet sent it to the Legislative and Consultative Authority to solicit their opinion.

Regarding the Syrian refugee file, PM Mikati affirmed: "The General Security is following up on the details of what has been agreed upon. I am surprised by some statements alleging international support withdrawal for Lebanon in funding this issue. These same individuals are the ones launching campaigns against the government if it requests support and backing in this matter."