Lebanon's Hariri says priority to form government and re-engage IMF

BEIRUT: Lebanon's Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri said on Thursday after meeting with President Michel Aoun that the priority was to form a government to halt the country's financial collapse and re-start talks with the International Monetary Fund.

"The main priority of any government is to prevent the collapse that we are facing today ... that we proceed to start halting the collapse with the IMF and regain the trust of the international community," he said at a news conference. Thursday's meeting took place after Aoun told Hariri on Wednesday night to form a new government immediately or make way for someone else. Hariri had hit back by telling Aoun that if he could not approve his cabinet line-up, then the president should call early elections. (Reporting by Maha El Dahan and Laila Bassam; Editing by Alison Williams)