<p>France on Tuesday urged competing political forces in Lebanon to agree on forming a government "without delay" as it ramped up pressure for a new cabinet in the crisis-hit country.</p>.<p>The French foreign ministry said it regretted "that Lebanese leaders have not yet managed to keep the commitments made on September 1" when they pledged to form a cabinet within two weeks.</p>.<p>"We call on them to find an agreement without delay for the formation of a new government by Mustapha Adib," added the statement.</p>.<p>Prime minister-designate Adib has been unable to form a new cabinet, which is required to unlock billions of dollars in foreign aid, because of disagreements between political parties.</p>.<p>Adib's efforts have been effectively blocked by the two main Shiite groups in Lebanon's usual power-sharing arrangement -- Amal and Hezbollah.</p>.<p>Observers have said their insistence on keeping the finance ministry is linked to recent US sanctions against a former minister from Amal, as well as Hezbollah-linked businesses.</p>.<p>An explosion of hundreds of tonnes of ammonium nitrate at the Beirut port on August 4 killed more than 190 people, wounded thousands and prompted the government to quit.</p>.<p>French President Emmanuel Macron, who has visited Lebanon twice since the disaster, has set himself up as a broker between political factions in the country, urging them to pass reforms required to get the tanking economy back on track.</p>.<p>For many Lebanese, the explosion resulted from longstanding corruption and ineptitude among a political class that has failed to establish a functioning state or uphold the rule of law.</p>
<p>France on Tuesday urged competing political forces in Lebanon to agree on forming a government "without delay" as it ramped up pressure for a new cabinet in the crisis-hit country.</p>.<p>The French foreign ministry said it regretted "that Lebanese leaders have not yet managed to keep the commitments made on September 1" when they pledged to form a cabinet within two weeks.</p>.<p>"We call on them to find an agreement without delay for the formation of a new government by Mustapha Adib," added the statement.</p>.<p>Prime minister-designate Adib has been unable to form a new cabinet, which is required to unlock billions of dollars in foreign aid, because of disagreements between political parties.</p>.<p>Adib's efforts have been effectively blocked by the two main Shiite groups in Lebanon's usual power-sharing arrangement -- Amal and Hezbollah.</p>.<p>Observers have said their insistence on keeping the finance ministry is linked to recent US sanctions against a former minister from Amal, as well as Hezbollah-linked businesses.</p>.<p>An explosion of hundreds of tonnes of ammonium nitrate at the Beirut port on August 4 killed more than 190 people, wounded thousands and prompted the government to quit.</p>.<p>French President Emmanuel Macron, who has visited Lebanon twice since the disaster, has set himself up as a broker between political factions in the country, urging them to pass reforms required to get the tanking economy back on track.</p>.<p>For many Lebanese, the explosion resulted from longstanding corruption and ineptitude among a political class that has failed to establish a functioning state or uphold the rule of law.</p>