US urges Lebanese to form government quickly

WASHINGTON, May 20 (KUNA) -- The United States on Friday reiterated praise for results of the parliamentary elections in Lebanon and called for speedy formation of a new government.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price saikd in a statement, "the United States welcomes that parliamentary elections in Lebanon were held on time and without major security incidents.
"We congratulate the Lebanese people on their participation despite challenging circumstances. We also recognize the important role the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces played in supporting the process and maintaining security.
We share the concerns raised by our partners in the international community of allegations of vote buying, clientelism, and reports of intimidation." As Lebanon looks ahead, "we urge those elected and the countryآ’s political leaders to heed the Lebanese peopleآ’s call for change and to work seriously, and with urgency, to take the necessary actions to rescue the economy. We also urge the swift formation of a government capable of and committed to undertaking the hard work required to restore the confidence of the Lebanese people and the international community," Price said. (end) rsr.rk