Report: 'Crucial' Aoun-Hariri Meeting Today on Govt

All eyes turn on Monday to Baabda Palace awaiting for a crucial meeting between President Michel Aoun and PM-designate Saad Hariri on the controversial government formation, media reports said.

Al-Joumhouria daily said the meeting is scheduled to take place in the afternoon, paving way for additional contacts between parties to “curve the angles” and settle disputes over the government format.

Meanwhile, sources following up closely on consultations "behind the scenes" expressed "pessimism" that parties would make a breakthrough and agree on a government much-needed in a country hit by multiple crises, said the daily.

The sources said that "Aoun hopes that Hariri would come to the meeting with him, armed with realism and flexibility,” they said, noting that Aoun expects the PM-designate to reconsider his positions.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara el-Rahi had on Sunday urged Aoun and Hariri to “flip the table on all obstructors,” wishing their meeting would reap a “positive result.”

Hariri and Aoun had exchanged accusations over who was to blame for months of deadlock in drawing up a new government, revealing the extent of the political crisis compounding the country's worst financial crunch in decades.

Hariri had said he met Aoun on Thursday to try to diffuse the situation, calling for a cabinet to be formed "as soon as possible". He said he would meet Aoun again on Monday.