Date: Dec 21, 2019 Source: The Daily Star Diab promises ‘specialist’ govt within six weeks, U.S., France urge reforms Hussein Dakroub| The Daily Star BEIRUT: Prime Minister-designate Hassan Diab promised Friday to form a government of independent specialists within six weeks to cope with the dire economic and financial crises as protests against his designation raged on for the second day in a row. Diab’s remarks came as a senior U.S. State Department official visited Beirut and called for reforms. U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale said after talks with top Lebanese leaders that America and other countries were ready to help Lebanon “enter a new chapter of economic prosperity” only when Lebanese leaders made a commitment to reform. A day after he was designated by President Michel Aoun to form the next government after gaining the support of a parliamentary majority, Diab met with former prime ministers on protocol visits before he begins consultations with parliamentary blocs in Parliament Saturday on the formation of a new Cabinet. Asked to comment on reports that the international community viewed him as a Hezbollah’s candidate for the premiership, Diab, an engineering professor at the American University of Beirut, said after meeting with caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri at the latter’s Downtown Beirut residence: “I have been asked this question more than once. I confirm that I am a specialized man and independent. My inclination is for the [next] government to be really a government of independent specialists in order to serve this country and solve the problems that we all know about.” Diab, a former education minister, said the next Cabinet would include specialists in economy, finance and other fields. “I will include specialists from all fields ... and we will work as one team,” he added. Diab said the meeting with Hariri had a “special flavor.” He added that Hariri had offered his cooperation in forming a new government and that his stance was one of a statesman. Earlier Friday, Diab told the German TV station Deutsche Welle that a new government would be formed within six weeks. “Previous governments in the last decade took a year to form and I seek to form a government in the next four weeks or a period that does not exceed six weeks,” Diab said. He added that labeling his government as “Hezbollah’s government” was ridiculous, saying that he expected full support from the Americans and Europeans. In the first European comment on Diab’s designation, France’s Foreign Ministry said Lebanese officials needed to create a government, taking into account the general interest of all Lebanese. “The only criteria should be that of the efficiency of the government to serve the reforms that are expected by the population,” a spokesman told reporters when asked about Diab’s designation. After discussing developments in Lebanon in separate meetings with Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Hariri, Hale underlined the need for Lebanese leaders to commit to the implementation of sustained reforms in order to put Lebanon back on the security and prosperity track. He also denied media reports that his visit was designed to influence the makeup of the new government. “I am in Lebanon today [Friday] at the request of Secretary of State Pompeo to meet with Lebanese leaders to convey our concerns about the current situation in Lebanon. I just concluded a meeting and lunch with Prime Minister Hariri and I met earlier today [Friday] with President Aoun and Speaker Berri. I conveyed to each of these leaders the urgent need to commit to and undertake meaningful sustained reforms that can put Lebanon back on the path to prosperity and security,” Hale said, reading a statement after his meeting with Hariri. “For far too long, too many leaders here have prioritized partisan interests or personal gain over the national interest. And today we see the effects of this pattern,” he added, referring to the mass protests. Hale said American help for Lebanon to ride out the economic crisis was conditional on implementation of reforms. “America calls on the security services to continue to guarantee the safety of demonstrators and for all sides to refrain from using violence or intimidation tactics. America has been a partner of Lebanon for decades. We are ready to help Lebanon enter a new chapter of economic prosperity, characterized by good governance and free from corruption,” Hale said: “But we and other friends of Lebanon can do so only when Lebanon’s leaders undertake a credible, visible and demonstrable commitment to reform.” Hale denied reports claiming that the U.S. backed Diab’s rival, Judge Nawaf Salam, for prime minister. “Now the U.S. has no role and no decision -no say- in who leads or comprises the Cabinet of Lebanon. That can only be done by the leaders of Lebanon who have been elected by the people,” he said. “What matters to all of us is whether or not those leaders of Lebanon’s parties and communities fulfill their obligations to serve the people of Lebanon by responding to the needs and voices that we are hearing. And only then can the international community truly help the Lebanese fulfill their potential for the development of this country.”In his talks with the three leaders, Hale did not touch on the escalating U.S. sanctions on Hezbollah, long labeled by Washington a “terrorist” group. Hale, a former U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, is set to meet caretaker Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, as well as other Lebanese politicians Saturday. Aoun told Hale that the Cabinet formation process began Thursday with the designation of Diab. “The new government will have many tasks, the most important of which is implementing the required reforms. Especially it will comprise a homogenous work team capable of confronting the difficult circumstances through which Lebanon is passing politically and economically,” Aoun said. Berri told Hale that the first job of the new government would be to fight corruption and insistence on submitting all project contracts to “transparent tenders.” Diab also visited former premiers Salim Hoss, Tammam Salam and Fouad Siniora. He said that in addition to parliamentary blocs, he would also meet with representatives of the protest movement to discuss the formation of a new government, an indication protesters would be represented in the Cabinet. Asked to comment on the Future Movement’s supporters and other protesters who have been blocking roads across the country for the second consecutive day with burning tires to protest his designation, Diab said: “They [protesters] must give me a chance in order to be able to form an extraordinary government that tackles all issues ... I have said in my speech after designation that I believe in this [protest] movement and I agree to all its demands.” For a second straight day, security forces in Beirut scuffled with crowds of young men - mainly supporters of Hariri - who blocked roads in a Sunni district to condemn Diab’s designation. The main highway from Beirut to the south was also blocked, causing huge traffic jams. Hariri called upon his supporters to leave the streets, after scuffles broke out between the Lebanese Army and protesters. “To those who really love me, get off the streets immediately,” Hariri wrote on Twitter. Speaking to local MTV channel Thursday night, Hariri admitted that his efforts to get the country back on track had “not met the demands of the people” and that the authorities had “failed ... to offer anything to the citizens.” He called for “unifying efforts and listening to the voice of revolution.” “We must always be optimistic. Of course one has to prepare himself for the worst, but optimism must exist in all of us,” Hariri said. The Lebanese pound, officially pegged at LL1,515 to the U.S. dollar, traded at LL2,100 on the black market Friday. The pound has lost around 30 percent of its value on the black market, while companies have been paying half-salaries and laying off employees for the past two months.