"The media has been circulating since this morning, based on a local newspaper, statements attributed to President Michel Aoun regarding the current conditions and the government file. The media office of the presidency issued the following statement:
The media office confirms that these statements are entirely baseless and calls once again on the media to refer to it for any clarifications concerning the President’s positions on any matter." The newspaper "Al-Akhbar" mentioned in its issue today that "President Michel Aoun candidly expressed to some of his visitors that he is beginning to doubt the intention of the designated Prime Minister Saad Hariri—along with President Nabih Berri, former MP Walid Jumblatt, and others—to form a balanced government. Aoun was quoted saying that this coalition also includes the Governor of the Central Bank, Riad Salameh, and that the pressures aimed to form a government capable of controlling matters and preventing the forensic investigation into the Central Bank's accounts, thus hindering the possibility of restoring political dialogue among the various Lebanese forces." The newspaper indicated, citing visitors of Aoun, that he believes Hariri raises the stakes due to support he receives from internal and external forces. "I am not prepared to hand over the country to those who bear responsibility for its ruin, and I will not weaken under pressure; I will spend the remainder of my term defending my right to play a full partnership role. When they want a politically classified prime minister, that means I will be a full partner, without any flattery or evasion. If they have another solution, they should propose it, but they should suggest a prime minister from outside the political club responsible for the country's devastation." The visitors indicated that the President is convinced that the team opposing him intends to seize control of the country again and that its members, in agreement with the Governor of the Central Bank, seek to impose their will on everyone, maintaining their authority over state facilities, and even overseeing the disbursement of any international assistance to Lebanon. This is the true objective behind the fall of President Hassan Diab's government.
