travelers in the capital city, scarred by violent explosions, the head of the French State has asked the lebanese officials “a profound change”.
Emmanuel Macron had warned upon his arrival to Beirut on Thursday in the late morning. The head of the French State wished to have a “dialog of truth” with the lebanese officials, “because beyond the explosion, we know that the crisis here is serious, it involves a historic responsibility of the leaders in place”. Thursday evening, after discussions with the main lebanese leaders of all stripes, including president Michel Aoun, and he has asked for “a profound change” to guide their countries out of the political deadlock and economic.
“It is time to be responsible today for Lebanon and for its leaders,” said the head of State during a press conference organised at the end of his lightning visit to Beirut, battered by the explosions, deadly and destructive that occurred on Tuesday, killing at least 137 dead and over 5000 injured.
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the president of the Republic has called for a “re-foundation of a new political order,” but also denounced “a confessional sometimes captured” and a “system that has also been captured by an organized corruption”. Calling on the lebanese leaders to “conduct the necessary reforms”, Emmanuel Macron said that the “leaders of the political forces have a demo to do : the ability to respond to profound change” that is desired by the Lebanese. “I’m waiting for clear answers from the lebanese authorities on their commitments,” said the head of State.
Macron calls “friendship,” and rejects any “interference”
The head of the French State has also swept the critics a part of the political class accusing him of”interference”, and advocated a “friendship, assistance, requirement” between the two countries in order to justify his requests for reform. “I’m not giving a diktat to the leaders,” said Emmanuel Macron, in an interview with BFMTV, but “the three coming weeks are decisive for the future of Lebanon”.
“France would be a mistake if it was a substitute to the political power,” said Emmanuel Macron, and “I can’t replace the leaders.” “But, as the president of the French Republic, I would not be at the rendez-vous of our history, that of a people friend (…) if we were not here today to respond to the humanitarian emergency and to assist in the construction of a political solution”, he continued.
A part of the political class rose up against the attitude of the president. The Untamed Jean-Luc Mélenchon has put “caution against interference in the political life of Lebanon”, while the vice-president of the national Rally, Jordan Bardella, has estimated that “the one man show, arrogant and self-righteous which is delivered by Emmanuel Macron, in Beirut today, is indecent”.
“If France does not play its role, ( … ), the interference, it will be the one that powers other : she is iranian, she is Turkish, she will be saudi, it will be a lot of other powers in the region,” retorted the head of the French State.
A conference of international aid organisations “in the next few days”
The French president also announced on Thursday evening a conference of international aid support and support to Beirut and to the lebanese population,” which will be organised in the next few days”. The goal is to mobilize “international finance, Europe, north america, all the countries of the region and beyond, in order to provide medications, care, food,” he said during a press conference. “I will fight for the international solidarity but I can’t replace the responsibility of a government in a sovereign elected”, has warned the president of the Republic.
“We will accompany you (…) We will be there, and France will never be the Lebanon. She will never abandon the Lebanese,” stressed Emmanuel Macron, saying that “the whole of France is to the sides” of Lebanon. “When the heart of Lebanon is hit, it is also France which is struck”, has launched the French head of State. “There will be a before and after August 4, 2020”, he estimated, noting that “Lebanon has the capacity for a rebound”.
The French president also called for this Thursday for an international survey “transparent” about the explosions that have devastated the port of Beirut and the surrounding area. “It should be an international investigation be open, transparent, to avoid that first things are hidden, and also that the doubt sets in”, he said.
Emmanuel Macron also announced from Beirut arrival in Lebanon on Thursday of the helicopter-carrying amphibious Thunder that will bring medicines, caregivers, and equipment. The helicopter carriers Tonnerre, a long of 200 meters, has 69 hospital beds with possible extension and two operating theatres, and can convey up to 900 soldiers, according to the ministry of Defence.
When Emmanuel Macron discovers scenes of apocalypse
A little earlier, in the course of his journey in the port of Beirut, Emmanuel Macron had been found at the scenes of revelation. “This is really the epicenter of the explosion?”, he asked, almost incredulously, sweeping the next boats built, washed, calcined, sometimes unrecognizable, which lie at 180 degrees in the round.
screen Capture of a video of the president and Emmanuel Macron (c) inspecting the damage at the port of Beirut, on August 6, 2020 two days after the double explosion
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Behind the French president, the grain silos, the granary of the capital, imploded, heavy signal if we needed one, of the difficulties of food supply which await The inhabitants of Beirut. Grain of corn, trampled by bodyguards and photographers, lay like a lava flow in a pile of scrap metal and concrete slabs.
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Emmanuel Macron has made the rounds of first-aiders, French, lebanese. He gave pats on the shoulder, thanked each other, assured that France will be at the rendez-vous of the reconstruction. “As we were there yesterday, we will be tomorrow”, he launched.
A moment of diplomatic strength of its five-year term
The French president is displayed as a savior in the neighborhood devastated Gemayzeh, Beirut, promising the Lebanese angry to hold to account their leaders. In his shirt, the masked face, the French head of State had offered a real bath of crowd, despite the pandemic of coronavirus that worsens in Lebanon, going into neighborhoods blown away by the terrible explosions at the port of Beirut on Tuesday.
“Vive la France! We need your help! You are the only hope!”, repeated of Lebanese to the French president in this predominantly christian neighbourhood, which was the throbbing heart of the nightlife, bars and restaurants in Beirut. Walking in the midst of debris of glass, among the entries of buildings blown out, Emmanuel Macron had been able to take the full measure of the wrath of the Lebanese, who have lost hope in their leaders, after this accidental explosion.
in Front of the crowd, he was assured that he was not there to “endorse (..) of the regime”. To the people telling him not to trust to the authorities, he replied : “I guarantee you that this help will not be in the hands of corruption”. “Free us authorities, rid us of corruption, you are our only hope,” shouted Lebanese. For nearly an hour, the head of the State has therefore experienced a moment of diplomatic strength of its five-year term, as Jacques Chirac to Jerusalem in 1996 or François Hollande in 2013 to Timbuktu. Emmanuel Macron has promised to the Lebanese angry that the strike back on September 1, verify that the aid proposed by France is well-distributed.
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Double explosion in Beirut
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In the evening, the forces of law and order in lebanon have used tear gas to disperse dozens of protesters are very tucked up against the incompetence and corruption of the authorities. The protesters vandalized shops and threw stones at police in the neighborhood of the parliament, according to the national information Agency. Some protesters were injured during the response, police said the official agency. These incidents occur the day before a large anti-government protest, while the country is still facing an economic crisis unprecedented.
