Meetings to Break Ice, Form Government

Local Editor

Prime Minister-Designate Najib Miqati and the head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Michel Aoun finally met, at the sidelines of the legislative session at the Parliament. Following the meeting, Miqati told reporters that ice was broken and said he would take quick measures to form the new government.
 
He said that he reached with Aoun an understanding on the next steps to facilitate the task of the prime minister-designate as part his constitutional authorities. "Parliament is home for the entire Lebanese ... and I saw it was my duty under the current circumstances and political alignments to plead with the House Speaker to keep Parliament a place to embrace everyone," the premier-designate said, reiterating to reporters that he visited Berri out of his eagerness to see the parliament as a symbol for all Lebanese.

In addition, a meeting was held in parliament between Miqati, Speaker Nabih Berri, Aoun, the head of the Marada movement MP Suleiman Franjieh, the head of the Lebanese Democratic Party MP Talal Areslan and the head of the Syrian Socialist National Party MP Assaad Hardan.