The Free Patriotic Movement’s political body said, Saturday, in an issued statement following its periodic virtual meeting headed by MP Gebran Bassil, that it was satisfied at the resumption of dialogue between the President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, “to form a long-awaited government.”

It emphasized that it attaches “great importance to the return of the prime minister-designate to the charter and constitutional principles in the cabinet formation process on the basis of full partnership with the president of the republic,” adding that in light of their positions stipulated by the constitution, both have to cooperate and agree to form a government that would gain the confidence of the Parliament Council.

“The Free Patriotic Movement is not interested in partaking in the government but wants to support it; yet it naturally reserves the right to grant or withhold confidence according to the composition of the government and the extent to which it respects the balance and the pact on one hand, and according to its reform program and the extent of adherence to it, all this is according to the initiative presented by the FPM Chief on February 21, 2021,” the statement underlined.

It also affirmed that “the Free Patriotic Movement is open to every dialogue with any Lebanese team to enhance stability and solidarity among the Lebanese in facing the difficult stage, and it welcomes and meets any step in this regard. It also confirms the Movement’s openness to all friendly countries, especially the Arab states, to stimulate constructive cooperation that would benefit Lebanon.”

Moreover, the FPM political body deemed the “the clear positions of Hezbollah Secretary-General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, expressed in his last speech in terms of protecting Lebanon, combating corruption, building the state and stopping the financial collapse by addressing its causes, as a new opportunity to boost cooperation between FPM and Hezbollah, and a practical way to develop their mutual understanding document to advance any collaboration that would achieve common national goals.”

The statement concluded by confirming that FPM stands by the president of the republic who is leading the battle of reform, at the foremost of which being the implementation of the forensic audit to unveil the reasons for the financial collapse, whereby whoever obstructs its course would bear responsibility before the law and the people. It also urged the Central Bank Governor “to take all possible measures to protect the remaining purchasing power of the Lebanese citizen, demanding the government to draw up a clear and unambiguous project to give support to people who actually need it and not to merchants and smugglers.”