Hariri holds court, political and religious figures visit

BEIRUT: Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri discussed local and regional developments during meetings with diplomats, politicians and religious figures Friday.

The Future Movement leader received Italian Ambassador Giuseppe Morabito at his downtown Beirut residence.

Speaking after the meeting, the Italian diplomat said that he discussed with Hariri the situation in the region “which is worrying us a lot.”

“I also expressed Italy’s support for Lebanon’s stability and independence, particularly our support to the Lebanese Army and the security forces, which are waging a very important and crucial battle to maintain security in this country and face terrorism,” Morabito said.

Hariri also received Tourism Minister Michel Pharaon, who stressed that Parliament and government, should work with a “caretaking spirit,” as long as there was no president.

“We should not paralyze the institutions and in this sense the work of the government should be facilitated without giving the impression that we accept the continuation of the presidential crisis, which should be solved,” Pharaon said.

“As for what is being said about a new mechanism for the decision-making in Cabinet, there is some ambiguity in the political stances and we should respect the Constitution and its spirit and at the same time find solutions to end the presidential and governmental crises soon.”

Hariri also saw MP Robert Ghanem and former MP Fares Soueid, coordinator of the general-secretariat of the March 14 coalition.

“We discussed the situation in the country and the region with former Premier Hariri. We perceived his full adherence to the March 14 movement and its future as a national cross-sectarian movement. This reassured us and we consider that former Premier Hariri’s presence in Beirut a factor that brings the Lebanese together,” Soueid said.

Later, Hariri received Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian at the head of a delegation comprising muftis of Lebanese districts.

Hariri also met Canadian Ambassador to Lebanon Michelle Cameron, Michel Mouawad, head of the Independence Movement, Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas, Information Minister Ramzi Joreige and Deputy-Speaker Farid Makari.