Mikati denies that he intends to quit politics

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Tuesday denied a media report claiming that he intends to quit politics.

“Most of what was mentioned in the aforementioned article is merely a host of premature analyses,” a statement issued by Mikati’s press office said.

Mikati “will continue his work during this critical period that Lebanon is going through,” the statement added.

Quoting sources close to Mikati, a report in al-Joumhouria newspaper has said that he is not interested in returning as premier when a new president gets elected.

“After he exits the premiership, he wants to fully focus on managing the Azm and Saade Association, a social welfare association that he founded together with his brother Taha in Tripoli in 1988,” the report said.

“He will refrain from returning to power or to traditional political activity … without abandoning his national action,” the report added.