MOSCOW, August 24. /TASS/. Russia is deeply concerned about the exacerbation of the international political situation in friendly Lebanon, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday.
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In recent days, the international political situation in Lebanon has deteriorated sharply, the document says. On August 22 and 23 mass rallies took place in central Beirut, some of them resulting in clashes with security forces. According to media reports, the clashes have left dozens of protesters and police officers injured. The protests were triggered by the problems with the removal and disposal of household waste, but demonstrators later began putting forward political slogans demanding the government’s resignation.
"It is obvious that in the absence of the national accord on the candidacy of the country’s president and the need to counter the challenge of international terrorism, it is essential to preserve the country’s stability and to prevent the deepening of social and political contradictions," the ministry said. "We continue to be convinced that there is no alternative solution to pressing problems and issues of Lebanon’s internal agenda through a broad dialogue of the Lebanese political forces on the basis of their commitment to sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and democratic foundations of the country.".