The Press Office of Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Monday issued the following statement: 

In the framework of the political contacts prior to the parliamentary consultations that were set for today, it turned out that the Free Patriotic Movement was planning to deposit its votes with the President of the Republic so that he uses them as he wishes. It is an occasion to warn against repeating the constitutional breach that martyr Prime Minister Rafic Hariri faced during President Emile Lahoud’s term, and to confirm that Prime Minister Hariri cannot cover such a serious constitutional violation, regardless of its use, in designating any Prime Minister.

In the framework of the same contacts, Premier Hariri was informed today at dawn of the Lebanese Forces’ decision to refrain from naming anyone or participating in the nomination of anyone in the parliamentary consultations that were scheduled today.This would have led to a designation without the participation of any weighty Christian bloc, contrary to Prime Minister Hariri's constant attachment to the requirements of national reconciliation.

Accordingly, Prime Minister Hariri discussed the matter with Speaker Nabih Berri, who agreed with him. They decided that both of them would call the President and ask him to postpone the consultations for a few days in order to avoid adding new constitutional and national problems to the major social, economic and financial crisis that our country is facing. Premier Hariri believes that the focus should be on addressing the crisis to preserve the interests of the Lebanese, their living conditions and security.