Siniora added - in an interview to the episode (10/28/2020) of the "Without Borders" program - that there are indications from France, Europe, America and Saudi Arabia to support this government.
Siniora explained that restoring confidence in the Lebanese state comes when the Lebanese, and the Arab and international communities, see that whoever holds power respects the laws and the independence of the judiciary, and that the state extends its full authority over all its lands, crossings and ports.
The former Lebanese Prime Minister emphasized that negotiating with the International Monetary Fund is the key to restoring the confidence of the outside world.
On the nature of the anticipated government, Siniora said that Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri is still insisting on forming a mini-government of independent non-partisans, and that there should be a rotation of all ministerial portfolios except for the Ministry of Finance in order to facilitate the formation of this government.
He added that Saad Hariri has the legitimacy to form a new government because he is the owner of the most representative bloc among potential prime ministers, and that there is no objection to his assumption of the premiership, especially since there is a need for this position to be assumed by a person with political experience.
Siniora clarified that Hariri is committed to the ideas resulting from the Lebanese youth uprising calling for reform, indicating that over the past 20 years there has been a difficulty in reform processes, which led to these problems that exploded, and then a complete breakdown in trust between the Lebanese on the one hand, the government and the presidency. And the political class as a whole, and also a breakdown between the Lebanese state and the Arab and international societies.
The luxury of rejection
And the former Lebanese Prime Minister warned that Lebanon can no longer afford the luxury of demands by some political forces for ministerial portfolios, demands that are inconsistent with what was agreed upon.
Siniora likened Lebanon to a ship, the bulk of which is underwater, and the cabin in which politicians sit, some of whom do not want to admit what the ship has gone to, remained.
Siniora stressed the need to stop blaming, considering that the most important thing is to mobilize the Lebanese energies to restore respect for national competencies away from sectarianism.
Siniora expressed his fear of unsatisfactory surprises, recalling the experience of Mustafa Adeeb's inability to form a government according to the French initiative, despite the leniency regarding the portfolio of the Ministry of Finance, in contrast to the constitution, which does not allow the portfolio of a ministry to be the monopoly of a particular sect.
Siniora explained that assigning Hassan Diab to head the previous government, and then assigning Mustafa Adeeb to form the government, was the result of popular demand for new faces, despite the belief that assigning a figure with government experience such as Hariri is the best.
As for negotiating with Israel, under American auspices, on demarcating the borders, Siniora said that these negotiations send messages from Hezbollah and the Amal movement to the United States that they are ready to negotiate, stressing that there is a Lebanese interest in this negotiation.