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PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH

Aoun calls for 'urgent national dialogue' to reach agreement on economic recovery, defense strategy

Aoun calls for 'urgent national dialogue' to reach agreement on economic recovery, defense strategy

President Michel Aoun is pictured as he delivers a televised speech at the presidential palace in Baabda. (Credit: Dalati and Nohra)

BEIRUT — President Michel Aoun called in a speech Monday for an urgent national dialogue to address three issues: expanded administrative and financial decentralization, a defense strategy to protect Lebanon and a financial and economic recovery plan that includes essential reforms and the equitable distribution of losses.

Here’s what we know:

    • “From my position as a trustee of the constitution, I call for an urgent national dialogue,” the president said in a televised address from Baabda Palace. 

    • The president deflected blame for the country’s present predicament, saying, “I tried to prevent the collapse and I called for more than one meeting and conference and offered solutions, but the politicians refused to take any account for the people.”

    • “When the economic collapse occurred, I called for dialogue with those who took to the streets, but they also refused, and hid behind the slogan ‘All means all,’” Aoun said. “Today, I renew my call for dialogue, to every Lebanese who wants to save the country.”

    • Aoun, however, also called for “determining responsibility for the collapse, protecting people's money and returning it to depositors.” He added that “the solution also requires the transition to a civil state, and a new system whose main pillar is expanded administrative and financial decentralization. The upcoming parliamentary elections should constitute a referendum on this basis.” Later in his speech, he added, “We must remain in one country and in one state, but we must learn from experience, and amend the system of government so that the state becomes viable. Expanded administrative and financial decentralization is the way forward, and … accountability and auditing are a condition for us to close the accounts of the past and to return to the Lebanese their rights and money.”

    • In reference to Hezbollah, Aoun said, “It is true that defending the homeland requires cooperation between the army and the people and the resistance [Hezbollah], but the primary responsibility is for the state. Only the state sets the defense strategy and ensures its implementation.” The alliance between Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement and Hezbollah, in place since 2006, has been strained of late.

   • Lebanon is grappling with a 2-year-old economic crisis that has seen its currency lose more than 90 percent of its value. Aoun said on Friday the country needs "six to seven years" to emerge from the crisis.

   • International Monetary Fund bailout negotiations commenced under Hassan Diab’s government have yet to progress beyond the preliminary stages. “Dropping the financial recovery plan drawn up by the previous government delayed negotiations with the IMF and the cost of the solution is greater and the losses of people have increased,” Aoun said.

BEIRUT — President Michel Aoun called in a speech Monday for an urgent national dialogue to address three issues: expanded administrative and financial decentralization, a defense strategy to protect Lebanon and a financial and economic recovery plan that includes essential reforms and the equitable distribution of losses.Here’s what we know:    • “From my position as a trustee...