France to press Lebanon to form govt quickly

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian Tuesday urged the Lebanese to form a new government swiftly or risk a financial crisis worsening and threatening the country's stability.

"(They should) form a government quickly because any delay will continue to worsen the situation," Le Drian told a news conference.

Six weeks since Saad al-Hariri resigned as prime minister, prompted by protests against the ruling elite, the financial crisis is generating concerns for Lebanon's stability: banks are enforcing capital controls, dollars are scarce, and the Lebanese pound has lost a third of its value on a black market.

France hosts on Wednesday a meeting of the International Lebanon Support Group, which includes Gulf Arab donors such as the Saudi Arabia, major European powers and the United States.