PARIS — Lebanon's appeal for urgent aid received short shrift at a conference in Paris on Wednesday, with France, the US, Russia and other countries making assistance conditional on the formation of a new reform-minded government.

Speaking at the end of the meeting of the International Support Group (ISG) for Lebanon, host French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said: "The only possible criteria (for aid) is the effectiveness of the government in implementing the reforms awaited by the population.

"This is the only way that the participants around this table and beyond can mobilize to give Lebanon the support it needs."

Lebanon has been rocked by unprecedented popular protests over official mismanagement and corruption since Oct. 17.

Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri stepped down two weeks into the revolt, but a deeply divided political class has failed to reach agreement on a new head of government.

Hariri, who remains premier in the interim, had appealed for aid from Lebanon's allies to secure basic imports in the face of an acute dollar liquidity crisis.

Importers of fuel, medicines and wheat have warned of shortages if the situation persists.

But the international community has insisted that any aid be conditional on the implementation of wide-ranging reforms, from greater transparency to guarantees on the independence of the judiciary.

Hariri said he had taken note of the meeting's final statement.

He said that, to exit the crisis, Lebanon needed to "speed up the formation of a government of experts to form a homogeneous and credible working group able to respond to the aspirations of the Lebanese after Oct. 17."

He also stressed the need to "prepare an economic, social, monetary, financial, and production rescue plan."

Le Drian, winding up the meeting, noted that the Lebanese people "mobilized weeks ago to demand reforms. They must be heard.

"The inly criterion must be the effectiveness of the government" in carrying out the necessary reforms, Le Drian insisted.

"This is the only way to allow all participants around this table and beyond to bring Lebanon all the support it needs," the French minister concluded.

The International Support Group (ISG) for Lebanon was created in 2013 to help it deal with the fallout of the war in neighboring Syria.

The UN, European Union, Arab League, United States, China, France, Germany, Russia, Italy and Britain are all members. — AFP