French Envoy Pledges to Facilitate Dialogue Between Lebanese Parties

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri heads a parliament session in a bid to elect a head of state to fill the vacant presidency, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon June 14, 2023. (Reuters)
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri heads a parliament session in a bid to elect a head of state to fill the vacant presidency, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon June 14, 2023. (Reuters)
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French Envoy Pledges to Facilitate Dialogue Between Lebanese Parties

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri heads a parliament session in a bid to elect a head of state to fill the vacant presidency, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon June 14, 2023. (Reuters)
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri heads a parliament session in a bid to elect a head of state to fill the vacant presidency, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon June 14, 2023. (Reuters)

French presidential envoy former foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian pledged to facilitate a constructive and inclusive dialogue between Lebanese political forces to reach a consensual and effective solution to end the presidential vacuum.

He concluded a visit to Beirut where he met various representatives of parliamentary blocs and three presidential candidates: head of the Marada movement, Suleiman Franjieh, former minister Ziad Baroud, and commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces General Joseph Aoun.

The visit came in light of sharp political difference that have been preventing the election of a president for eight months.

During a press conference, Le Drian said he visited Beirut at the request of President Emmanuel Macron, who appointed him as his special envoy for Lebanon.

He indicated that during his first visit, he wanted to hear what the civil, religious, and military authorities had to say and would submit a report on this mission to the president upon his return to France.

The envoy announced he would return in the coming weeks, pledging to facilitate dialogue between the local forces to end the impasse and carry out the necessary reforms for Lebanon's sustainable advancement.

The envoy concluded his visit by meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Abdallah Bou Habib, accompanied by the French Ambassador, Anne Grillo.

The Lebanese Foreign Ministry said Le Drian briefed Bou Habib on his meetings with Lebanese parties and that he will soon continue his contacts with them.

MP Ashraf Rifi said on Saturday that France was aware that people have the right to determine their destiny and enjoy the freedom of choice.

After meeting with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, he added that Le Drian is attempting to persuade the Shiite duo of Hezbollah and the Amal movement to abandon Franjieh’s nomination given that the Christians refuse for Hezbollah to name their presidential candidate.

The president in Lebanon is always a Maronite Christian.

The same goes for the Sunnis, who oppose Nawaf Salam’s appointment as prime minister, because he does not represent them, continued Rifi. The position of PM is always a Sunni Muslim in Lebanon.

The lawmaker said Le Drian was more of a listener than a speaker, in that he asked officials how they would describe the situation in Lebanon and how they would resolve the crisis.

Rifi said his answer was simple: The need to hold successive presidential elections sessions in line with the constitution until a candidate is elected.

Meanwhile Free Patriotic Movement MP Simon Abi Ramia said France is still backing Franjieh’s run for president.

However, Le Drian did not come to Lebanon to promote France’s initiative regarding Franjieh. He noted.

Meanwhile, former minister Jihad Azour, who is backed by the opposition, FPM and independent and Change MPs, is still running for the presidency, the MP went on to say.

Abi Ramia remarked, however, that neither candidate can secure enough votes in the elections to become president given the ongoing division between the rival camps and the MPs’ constitutional right to withdraw from the electoral sessions, thus disrupting quorum.



Lebanon PM Says Hopes for Ceasefire With Israel in 'Coming Hours or Days'

This handout picture provided by the Lebanese Prime Minister's press office shows Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati delivering a statement to the press in Beirut on October 11, 2024. (Photo by Lebanese Prime Minister's Press Office / AFP)
This handout picture provided by the Lebanese Prime Minister's press office shows Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati delivering a statement to the press in Beirut on October 11, 2024. (Photo by Lebanese Prime Minister's Press Office / AFP)
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Lebanon PM Says Hopes for Ceasefire With Israel in 'Coming Hours or Days'

This handout picture provided by the Lebanese Prime Minister's press office shows Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati delivering a statement to the press in Beirut on October 11, 2024. (Photo by Lebanese Prime Minister's Press Office / AFP)
This handout picture provided by the Lebanese Prime Minister's press office shows Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati delivering a statement to the press in Beirut on October 11, 2024. (Photo by Lebanese Prime Minister's Press Office / AFP)

Lebanon's prime minister said US envoy Amos Hochstein had signaled during a phone call Wednesday that a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war was possible before US elections are held on November 5.
"The call today with Hochstein suggested to me that perhaps we could reach a ceasefire in the coming days, before the fifth" of November, Najib Mikati said in a televised interview with Lebanese broadcaster Al-Jadeed.
Hochstein was heading to Israel on Wednesday to discuss conditions for a ceasefire with Hezbollah, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.
Hezbollah's new leader Naim Qassem on Wednesday said the group would agree to a ceasefire with Israel under acceptable terms, but added that a viable deal has yet to be presented, reported AFP.
"We are doing our best... to have a ceasefire within the coming hours or days," Mikati told Al-Jadeed, adding that he was "cautiously optimistic".
Mikati said Hezbollah is no longer linking a ceasefire in Lebanon to a truce in Gaza, but criticized the group over its "late" reversal.
Previously, Hezbollah had repeatedly declared it would stop its attacks on Israel only if a ceasefire was reached in Gaza.
However, Qassem on Wednesday said the group would accept a ceasefire under conditions deemed "appropriate and suitable", without any mention of the Palestinian territory.
Mikati said a ceasefire would be linked to the implementation of the United Nations resolution that ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Security Council Resolution 1701 states that only the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers should be deployed in southern Lebanon, while demanding the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory.
"The Lebanese army is ready to strengthen its presence in southern Lebanon" and ensure that the only weapons and military infrastructure in the area are those controlled by the state, Mikati said.
He also said he would continue to try to shield Lebanon's only airport from attacks by Israel.
"I can guarantee that we will not give anyone an excuse to undermine our security or our air traffic," Mikati said.
Aid deliveries from Iran, Iraq and Algeria can "come by sea", he said, in order not to give Israel a pretext to launch strikes.
Mikati also said it was too dangerous to try to reopen Lebanon's main land border with Syria, which was put out of service by an Israeli strike this month.
"We sent a bulldozer to fill the crater at the crossing and it was bombed," Mikati said.
"We will not expose anyone to danger before we have full guarantees."