The Press Office of the Presidency of the Republic announced that “the written, and audio-visual media platforms are circulating incorrect information about the process of forming the new government.”

In order to clarify the reality and to facilitate the government formation, the Press Office in the Presidency of the Republic clarified the following points:

First: The President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, adhered, throughout the meetings he held with Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati, to the points approved since the first meeting and with everyone as a basis for forming a government, especially the criteria to be adopted in distributing ministerial portfolios to the sects and blocs.

Second: The blocking third demand was never mentioned by President Aoun, and the PM-designate is aware of this matter from the talks between them. Therefore, everything that was said about the President of the Republic’s request for nine or ten ministers is completely untrue and fabricated, in order to disrupt the talks between Presidents Aoun and Mikati to form a government.

Third: President Aoun did not submit to the PM-designate any name to assume one or more ministerial portfolios, and all the names he presented have the experience, and competences appropriate to the ministries. Replacing these names with other names is not justified as long as the specifications they agreed on are available. However, the president was positive and is still aware that that he and PM-designate have the right to give comments on any name received.

Fourth: The PM-designate received demands from other parties which was reflected in a delay in the government formation, because any modification in a portfolio would have required a review of other portfolios.

Fifth: Regarding the statements and analyzes issued today that deliberately distort the stances of the President of the Republic, there is a justified fear that the aim of what is being issued is to push the PM-designate to apologize, which President Aoun does not want in order to keep the country without a government amid these difficult and delicate circumstances that Lebanon is going through.

Sixth: The President of the Republic is insisting to continue cooperating positively with the PM-designate to secure the government formation that the Lebanese are satisfied with and that meets the support of the international community.