French Presidential Envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian is set to conclude his mission in Beirut on Friday with a second meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri, amid expectations that he would return to Lebanon to facilitate the election of a new president.
The Lebanese parliament has been unable to elect a new president for the country since the end of the term of Michel Aoun on Nov. 1, 2022.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Berri described the discussions with the French envoy as “excellent”. He stressed that dialogue was not only a demand made by Le Drian, “but rather an Arab and international request because it is the only way out of this crisis.”
During his visit to Beirut, Le Drian met separately with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rai in Bkirki, and with a number of independent deputies at the French embassy in Beirut. He also held talks with Sunni MPs, in the presence of Grand Mufti Abdullatif Derian and Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari at the latter’s residence in Beirut.
MP Ashraf Rifi said the French envoy’s meeting with Sunni representatives was aimed at facilitating the process of electing a president. He pointed to efforts that might lead to a settlement on the election of Army Commander General Joseph Aoun.
Referring to Berri’s call for a national dialogue to resolve the presidential crisis, Rifi said: “We expect that the dialogue will be held with whoever attends, and then open election sessions will be called for to elect a president. It is likely that the choice would go towards the Army Commander.”
Meanwhile, the head of foreign relations in the Lebanese Forces party (LF), former minister Richard Koyoumjian, who was present at the meeting that brought together the French envoy and LF chief Samir Geagea, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the French initiative has collapsed.
Parliamentary sources said that Le Drian is expected to visit Berri on Friday to inform him of the outcome of his talks.
