Lebanon lacks unified Arab effort: Prime minister

By Waseem Saifeddin

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AA) - Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab said Tuesday that his country was going through a difficult phase and "lacks unified Arab efforts”.

According to a statement by his office following the end of his three-day visit to Doha, Diab said Lebanon lacks a role that unifies the Lebanese people and precludes any attempt to invest from the Lebanese rift.

The statement hailed Qatari efforts to support the Lebanese people.

Qatar "has never abandoned its love to Lebanon", the statement said. "Indeed, we found in brotherly Qatar what we were seeking for [...] Qatar confirmed to us its fixed stance in supporting Lebanon, its people, security and stability.”

During his official visit, Diab met with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani along with other top officials for talks on developments in Lebanon.

Lebanon is still stuck in the formation of a new government amid differences between Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri and President Michel Aoun.

The Arab country is facing a severe economic crisis, with the local currency losing nearly all its value against US dollar. Streets across the country have been blocked by protests and rallies over the crisis, the worst since the country’s civil war.

*Ahmed Asmar in Ankara contributed to this report