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BEIRUT:  Lebanon’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdel Latif Derian warned on Saturday that Lebanon has turn out to be a failed state.

“We’re quickly transferring towards no state in any respect, and the Arabs and the world will quickly begin ignoring Lebanon’s existence due to political mismanagement in any respect ranges,” he stated.

“We have to elect a brand new president and the MPs are liable for electing him or making a presidential vacuum.”

Derian had invited Sunni MPs for a gathering at Dar Al-Fatwa to debate potential candidates.

All however three of 27 Sunni MPs from completely different political currents attended the assembly, together with one MP affiliated with Hezbollah, along with reformist and unbiased MPs.

Two reformist MPs, Ibrahim Mneimneh and Halima Al-Qaaqour, and unbiased MP Osama Saad didn’t attend.

A supply in Dar Al-Fatwa stated that the assembly was geared toward uniting the Sunni bloc in parliament to permit it to have a significant say within the presidential elections.

The bloc additionally goals cease any makes an attempt to tamper with the Taif Settlement and undermine its provisions concerning Lebanon’s structure, the supply stated.

The assembly centered on efforts to protect nationwide unity, and respect constitutional deadlines on the election of a brand new president and the formation of a authorities able to implementing monetary, financial and legislative reforms, together with an financial restoration plan.

In the course of the assembly, Derian stated that the survival of countries and states is determined by the effectiveness of their constitutional establishments.

The president is the protector of the structure, and the Christian president in Lebanon is a logo of coexistence on which the Lebanese system relies, he stated.

Arabs “acknowledge and respect the Lebanese expertise” as a result of the Lebanese president is the one Christian president within the Arab world, Derian added.

He urged MPs to encourage respect for the president’s place, and assist him assume his position at residence and overseas.

Derian additionally stated the brand new president should protect the rules of the Taif Settlement, the structure, coexistence, and Lebanon’s nationwide, Arab and worldwide legitimacy.

If these issues are uncared for, Lebanon will likely be unable to take care of order, stability and its nationwide entity, he added.

Derian highlighted the necessity to put an finish to made-up sectarian, divisive clashes over powers and return to the constitutional precept of separating powers however sustaining cooperation between them.

He known as for the election of a president characterised by the non-public and political qualities of a public businessman who can be ethically liable for the mission with which he’s tasked.

The brand new president should have knowledge, nationwide duty and integrity, in addition to the power to be inclusive of all Lebanese, and to make use of his powers to assist the nation out of this disaster and stop it from reaching complete collapse, he stated.

Derian reiterated: “Both we elect a president with these qualities, or we see the regime and the state fall earlier than our eyes.”

He additionally appealed for respect for the prime minister and assist for the PM-designate along with his mission.

“This can be a joint duty that rests with everybody. We’re wanting ahead to forming a authorities as quickly as potential, maybe within the subsequent few days,” stated Derain, including that Lebanon wanted a authorities with full powers  — and never a caretaker authorities —   in these harsh and tough circumstances.

Derian stated Lebanon can survive provided that consensus is reached. There isn’t a salvation with out unity, away from rigidity, sectarian strife and incitement, he added.

Lebanon wanted a president “who isn’t a part of the issue or the reason for it.”

In a press release issued after the assembly, these current confused the rules advocated by Dar Al-Fatwa, particularly when it comes to committing to the Taif Settlement, Lebanon’s Arab id and nationwide unity.

In addition they condemned the abuses that had harmed and have been nonetheless harming the foundations of nationwide reconciliation and coexistence.

The Sunni MPs confused the necessity to finish Lebanon’s struggling beneath mismanagement and rampant corruption.

“Saving Lebanon requires recognizing the errors that have been made, holding the perpetrators accountable, whoever they’re, and sincerely cooperating with the completely different Lebanese and Arab events and the worldwide neighborhood to revive Lebanon’s id and stature,” they stated.

The Sunni MPs stated that they’ll work with fellow MPs to elect a brand new president on the desired constitutional date.

They stated that the brand new president “must abide by the structure and be loyal to the individuals of Lebanon and their pursuits.”

The assertion added that Lebanon’s enemy was and nonetheless is the Israeli military, which continued to occupy components of the Lebanese territories.

It known as for the implementation of UN Safety Council resolutions that stipulate the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories and the popularity of Jerusalem as an occupied metropolis.