Lebanon’s foreign minister warns against chaos, urges reforms

 Lebanese Foreign Minister, Gebran Bassil, said the government must not impose new taxes and should carry out drastic reforms to stop corruption.

The minister said this on Friday, but also warned that protests could lead to chaos and strife.

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In the first official reaction to mass protests which erupted on Thursday evening in Lebanon, Bassil urged protesters to allow the government until next week to finish discussing the 2020 budget.

“The current alternative is very foggy,’’ Bassil, who is the son-in-law of Lebanese President Michel Aoun, said in a televised statement

He accused some domestic parties of exploiting the protests to achieve their goals of toppling the presidency, the government and parliament.