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Berri to Asharq Al-Awsat: Efforts Underway with US to Reach Political Solution to End the Escalation

Berri to Asharq Al-Awsat: Efforts Underway with US to Reach Political Solution to End the Escalation
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Berri to Asharq Al-Awsat: Efforts Underway with US to Reach Political Solution to End the Escalation

Berri to Asharq Al-Awsat: Efforts Underway with US to Reach Political Solution to End the Escalation

Lebanon’s parliament Speaker Nabih Berri revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat on Wednesday that he is carrying out “serious efforts” with international parties, including the United States, to end the latest Israeli escalation against Lebanon.

The next 24 hours will be “decisive” in whether the efforts to reach a political solution will succeed or fail, he stressed.

He said he is holding intense contacts in complete coordination with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who is currently in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly. Influential international parties are also involved in the contacts.

Berri hoped the efforts will succeed “because the only alternative is war and more tragedy.”

Asked about whether Hezbollah would agree to the principle of separating the Lebanese front from Gaza, he replied: “The efforts are focused on not separating these two files.”

He also reiterated Lebanon’s commitment to its principles.

The solution focuses on the agreement previously reached with US special envoy Amos Hochstein before the war on Gaza broke out, Berri explained.

This is the only available and viable solution at hand, he declared without elaborating on its details.

At least 600 Lebanese people have been killed and 2,000 wounded since Monday when Israel launched an intense air raid campaign against what it says are Hezbollah targets.

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Macron and Tebboune Announce Return of Normal ‘French-Algerian’ Relations

The Algerian and French presidents in August 2022 (Algerian presidency)
The Algerian and French presidents in August 2022 (Algerian presidency)
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Macron and Tebboune Announce Return of Normal ‘French-Algerian’ Relations

The Algerian and French presidents in August 2022 (Algerian presidency)
The Algerian and French presidents in August 2022 (Algerian presidency)

French President Emmanuel Macron and his Algerian counterpart, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, on Monday confirmed a normalization of ties after months of strained relations and agreed to reestablish political dialogue and relaunch cooperation on security and migration.
During a phone call, Macron urged Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune to show “mercy and humanity” towards a jailed French-Algerian writer, Boualem Sansal, the Elysee palace said in a statement.
The author was sentenced last Thursday to five years in prison after an interview he gave to a French far-right media outlet was deemed to undermine Algeria's territorial integrity.
Macron “called for a gesture of mercy and humanity towards Mr Boualem Sansal, given the age and state of health of the writer,” the Elysee statement said.
French nationals living in Algeria and who mostly own private companies, are concerned that the diplomatic rift between both countries would affect their businesses.
They hope discussions between French and Algerian high ranking officials would halt the deterioration in bilateral relations.
Michel Bisac, president of the Algerian French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told the French-language news website Tout sur l'Algérie, that French residents in Algeria working in companies or in the finance and business fields, are “always welcomed by their Algerian partners.”
“The problem is mainly political,” he said in an attempt to minimize the escalated relations between both countries and its impact on jobs, and French investments in Algeria.
Bisac said most French companies have performed well in 2024, but the diplomatic escalation between the two countries has raised concerns.
“French companies in Algeria do not face any retaliatory measures. As for administrative difficulties, especially with regard to imports, they affect all foreign investors, and do not specifically target France,” he added.
Bisac said there is no campaign against France despite the tense relations, affirming that professional ties remain strong, and expatriates continue to work in a stable environment.
But as bilateral relations continue to deteriorate, he said, the economy could be affected, threatening years of Franco-Algerian cooperation.
Meanwhile, the government in Paris is divided on the French-Algerian crisis. French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau vowed a “gradual response” after Algeria refused Paris’ demand to readmit Algerian nationals from France that local authorities have deemed a threat and are seeking to expel.
In return, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot will travel to Algiers on April 11 at the invitation of his Algerian counterpart, Ahmed Attaf, as part of the effort to mend ties between both countries. He is expected to meet with Tebboune.
Recently, Algerians have shown a willingness to dialogue, but the local press has continued its attacks on right-wing French officials, including presidential candidate Bruno Retailleau, who has called for the termination of the 1968 Franco-Algerian immigration agreement.
In return, Algeria's parliament established a commission to draft a law criminalizing French colonial rule, a move deemed “historical” and backed by local lawmakers, historians, and legal experts. Observers expect Algeria to abandon this step when relations between Algiers and Paris return to normal.