By Staff, Agencies

Lebanon appointed President Michel Aoun’s diplomatic advisor as the country’s new foreign minister, hours after Nassif Hitti surprisingly stepped down from the position.

Aoun and Prime Minister Hassan Diab met at Baabda Palace near the capital Beirut on Monday afternoon, and signed decrees accepting the resignation of Hitti and appointing Charbel Wehbe to replace him.

Wehbe is Aoun's diplomatic advisor and former ambassador to France.

Hitti submitted his resignation to Diab earlier in the day, arguing the government showed a lack of reformist will.

“Given the absence of an effective will to achieve structural, comprehensive reform which our society and the international community have urged us to do, I have decided to resign,” Hitti said in his resignation statement.

“I took part in this government to work for one boss called Lebanon, then I found in my country multiple bosses and contradicting interests,” Hitti said, adding that “if they do not come together in the interest of rescuing the Lebanese people, God forbid, the ship will sink with everyone on it.”

Hitti was appointed as foreign minister as part of Diab’s government in January.