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Quintet Committee Resumes Efforts to Resolve Lebanon’s Presidential Deadlock

The ambassadors of the Quintet countries meet at the French Embassy in Beirut. (French Embassy)
The ambassadors of the Quintet countries meet at the French Embassy in Beirut. (French Embassy)
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Quintet Committee Resumes Efforts to Resolve Lebanon’s Presidential Deadlock

The ambassadors of the Quintet countries meet at the French Embassy in Beirut. (French Embassy)
The ambassadors of the Quintet countries meet at the French Embassy in Beirut. (French Embassy)

After a complete pause in efforts to resolve the vacuum in Lebanon’s presidency over the summer, the ambassadors of the international Quintet Committee resumed their meetings to help resolve the impasse, which will hit the two-year mark next month.

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari, US Ambassador Lisa Johnson, French Ambassador Hervé Magro, Qatari Ambassador Saud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and Egyptian Ambassador Alaa Moussa met at the French Embassy in Beirut to discuss the situation.

Diplomatic sources, who were briefed on the meeting, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the ambassadors updated each other on the outcomes of their previous rounds of talks with Lebanese leaders and agreed to continue discussions in the coming weeks.

The sources added that French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian will visit Beirut this month, or early October at the latest, to follow up on his meeting with Saudi Royal Court advisor Nizar Al-Aloula earlier this month.

“The participants also discussed the regional situation, emphasizing that the current developments require Lebanese officials to come to an understanding to elect a president because no one will offer them ready-made solutions,” the sources added.

While no statement was issued by the attendees, sources involved in the presidential file suggested that the ambassadors will soon resume their talks with political leaders and heads of parliamentary blocs, each separately.

The diplomats will focus on two main points: the need to separate the Lebanese presidency from the Gaza war and its outcomes, as well as from the US presidential elections, noting that Michel Aoun was elected president two months before the US elections in 2016, revealed the sources.

According to available information, the ambassadors have not yet requested any meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri or caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

Aoun’s term ended in October 2022 with political blocs failing to elect a successor. Bickering among the parties has thwarted attempts to fill the vacuum.

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Salvagers Launch New Attempt to Tow an Oil Tanker Blown up by Yemen’s Houthis

Flames and smoke rise from the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion, which has been on fire since August 23, after an attack by Houthi militants, on the Red Sea, September 14, 2024 in this handout image. EUNAVFOR ASPIDES/Handout via Reuters /File Photo
Flames and smoke rise from the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion, which has been on fire since August 23, after an attack by Houthi militants, on the Red Sea, September 14, 2024 in this handout image. EUNAVFOR ASPIDES/Handout via Reuters /File Photo
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Salvagers Launch New Attempt to Tow an Oil Tanker Blown up by Yemen’s Houthis

Flames and smoke rise from the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion, which has been on fire since August 23, after an attack by Houthi militants, on the Red Sea, September 14, 2024 in this handout image. EUNAVFOR ASPIDES/Handout via Reuters /File Photo
Flames and smoke rise from the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion, which has been on fire since August 23, after an attack by Houthi militants, on the Red Sea, September 14, 2024 in this handout image. EUNAVFOR ASPIDES/Handout via Reuters /File Photo

A new attempt has begun to try to salvage an oil tanker burning in the Red Sea after attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militias, a European Union naval mission said Saturday.

The EU’s Operation Aspides published images dated Saturday of its vessels escorting three ships heading to the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion.

The mission has “been actively involved in this complex endeavor, by creating a secure environment, which is necessary for the tugboats to conduct the towing operation,” the EU said.

A phone number for the mission rang unanswered Saturday. However, satellite images taken Saturday morning by Planet Labs PBC and later analyzed by The Associated Press showed what appeared to be the three salvage vessels close to the Sounion. A warship could be seen nearby.

The Greek state news agency ANA-MPA later reported the Aigaion Pelagos, a Greek-flagged tugboat, was involved in the effort. It said “three frigates, helicopters and a special forces unit” backed the salvagers.

"Despite challenging conditions, with temperatures reaching up to 400 degrees Celsius (752 degrees Fahrenheit) due to the fire, the specialized salvage team successfully secured the tanker to the Aigaion Pelagos,” the report said.

The Sounion came under attack from the Houthis beginning Aug. 21. The vessel had been staffed by a crew of 25 Filipinos and Russians, as well as four private security personnel, who were taken by a French destroyer to nearby Djibouti.

The Houthis later planted explosives aboard the ship and detonated them. That’s led to fears the ship’s 1 million barrels of crude oil could spill into the Red Sea.

The Houthis have targeted more than 80 vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started in October. They seized one vessel and sank two in the campaign that also killed four sailors. One of the sunken vessels, the Tutor, went down after the Houthis planted explosives aboard it and after its crew abandoned it due to an earlier attack, the militias later acknowledged.

Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a US-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets.

The Houthis maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK to force an end to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.