Lebanon: Hariri's supporters cut main roads and Diab pledges a government of specialists

Al-Jazeera correspondent in Lebanon reported that dozens of protesters, supporters of the caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri, have blocked the main Corniche farm in Beirut.

The protesters demanded the return of parliamentary consultations, and the appointment of Hariri instead of Hassan Diab, who was charged on Thursday with forming the government.

In northern Lebanon, protesters of Hariri supporters blocked a number of roads with obstacles and rubber tires burning, and others closed roads in the Bekaa Valley (east of the country), where the Lebanese army units worked to open some of them, while Hariri called on his supporters to leave these roads.

For his part, Prime Minister-designate Hassan Diab said that he will form the next government of specialists and independents to serve the country and solve its problems.

In statements after his meeting with Hariri, Diab said that Hariri believes in the existence of a working group, and that he provided all forms of cooperation to form a government.

Diab did not receive the support of Hariri under a sectarian political system based on quotas and allocating the post of prime minister to a Sunni Muslim. Al-Hariri is the most prominent Sunni politician in the country.

Diab rejected the accusations that the government would be under the control of Hezbollah. "This is ridiculous, because the new government will be the face of Lebanon and it will not be a government of a political group from here and there," he said, denying the subordination of the new government to the group.

In turn, Lebanese President Michel Aoun said that the current popular movements have the necessary protection from preserving freedom of expression.

In statements during his meeting with US Undersecretary of State David Hill, Aoun added that he supports the demands of the popular movement, and that he called on the participants in it to dialogue to agree on the necessary reform points.

For his part, David Hill called on the Lebanese to set aside partisan interests, work for the national interest, and form a government committed to making the required reforms.

Hill said that his visit to Lebanon came at the request of his country's foreign minister to discuss the current situation with Lebanese officials.

Lebanon, plagued by the worst economic crisis since the civil war that took place from 1975 to 1990, is seeking to form a new government since the resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri on October 29 last, following massive protests against the ruling elite.