​Presidency Press Office:

“The President is committed to the standards which must be adopted in distributing ministries in justice and equality, in accordance with the interests of Lebanon and the Lebanese, and all what is imposed by the Constitution and the Charter.

“President Aoun has never demanded, in any case, a blocking third share in the government. The PM-designate realizes this matter, and everything that has been said about the President’s request for nine or ten ministers is baseless and false”.

“President Aoun did not submit any party name to assume one or more ministries, to PM Mikati. The names which the President offered enjoyed the experience and appropriate competence to the ministries nominated for them”.

“The President is positive and is still aware that he and the Prime Minister-designate have the right to give comments on any name received from them or from any of the participating blocs, leading to objections”.

“The PM-designate faced increasing and changing demands from others, which was reflected in a delay in issuing the line-up”.

“It is feared that the goal will be to push the designated PM to apologize, which President Aoun does not want, or to pave the way for that, in order to keep the country without a government in these circumstances”.

“President Aoun continues to deal openly, cooperatively and positively with the PM-designate, and he has provided and offers all the necessary facilities without stopping at a ministry or name”.

The Presidency Press Office issued the following statement:

“Written, visual and audio media tend to publish false information about the path of forming the new government. In clarification of the reality and facilitating the formation of the government, the Presidency Press Office is interested in emphasizing the following points:

First: Throughout the meetings he held with Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati, President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, adhered to the points agreed upon since the first meeting, which were previously deliberated and agreed on with everyone as a basis for forming a government, especially the criteria to be adopted in distributing ministries on sects and blocs, in accordance with the interests of Lebanon and the Lebanese, and what the constitution and the charter impose.

Second: The demand for the blocking third has never been mentioned by President Aoun. The PM-designate is well-aware of this matter from the reality and papers of the discussions between them. Therefore everything said about the President of the Republic’s request for nine or ten ministers is completely false, unfounded, and fabricated. This aims to disrupt contacts between President Aoun and PM Mikati in order to form a government, hence achieving the goals of some to prevent its formation.

Third: The President did not submit, to the PM-designate, any party name to assume one or more ministries. All the names which the President presented enjoy experience and the appropriate competence to the ministries nominated for them. Replacing these names with other names is not justified as long as the agreed upon specifications are available. However, President Aoun was positive and is still aware that the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister-designate have the right to give comments on any name received from them or from any of the participating blocs, up to objecting on names. President Aoun and the designated PM are dealing openly with this matter.

Fourth: The PM-designate faced demands from other parties which were increasing and changing day by day. This was reflected in a delay in agreeing to issue the government line-up, because any amendment in a ministry would have required a review of others. This matter still exists and is repeated in the hope of being able to overcome it with the cooperation of President Aoun and PM Mikati.

Fifth: Regarding the statements and analyzes issued today that deliberately distort the positions of the President of the Republic, there is a justified fear that the aim of what is being issued is to push the designated PM to apologize from forming the government, which President Aoun does not want, or to prepare for that, in order to keep the country without a government through difficult and delicate circumstances that Lebanon is going through.

Sixth: The President is determined to continue to deal openly, cooperatively and positively with the designated PM, to secure the birth of a government that the Lebanese are satisfied with and that meets the support of the international community. President Aoun provided and is still providing all the necessary facilities, to PM Mikati, without stopping at a ministry or name, as long as he gave up from the beginning the guarantor third and others, realizing the work of several forces to prevent the formation of the government and their determination to take the country towards chaos, in order to achieve its political goals”.​