Bassil after meeting Lavrov: We are all waiting for Hariri to form a government

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Gebran Bassil said on Thursday that he tackled in Russia the idea of establishing a Levantine market that includes Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Jordan.

 

Bassil’s comments were made in Moscow after meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov whereby he said that “such an economic framework can positively contribute to the stability of the region and help in the reconstruction of Syria and Iraq and the recovery of Lebanon from its ordeal.”

 

On another note, Bassil stressed that if Lebanon will resort to the International Monetary Fund, it would have to adopt the well-known reforms, mainly the forensic audit in addition to controlling transfers that are being made abroad and returning funds that were already transferred abroad.

 

"We are all waiting for Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri to proceed with the formation of the government, and most importantly to carry out reforms,” Bassil added.

 

“We asked Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov to play the necessary role to urge Prime Minister-designate Hariri to form a government,” he noted.

 

Bassil stressed that he also asked Lavrov to hold a conference in Lebanon to encourage the return of the displaced. 

 

“We encouraged also Russia to engage in the process of Lebanon’s advancement, by contributing to several investment projects," he concluded by saying.