Report: Girault Travels to Tehran, Riyadh as Part of Initiative to Resolve Presidential Deadlock

Director of the department of the Middle East and North Africa at the French Foreign Ministry Jean-François Girault is expected to travel to Iran next week as part of his ongoing efforts to resolve the vacuum in the presidency in Lebanon, reported the daily An Nahar on Saturday.

It said that he will then head to the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh.

He is expected during his two visits to relay to Iranian and Saudi officials the details of the talks he held on the presidency during his meetings with Lebanese officials earlier this week.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam and French President Francois Hollande briefly discussed Girault's efforts, but did not delve into details because his initiative is still in its early stages, reported An Nahar.

Salam had concluded on Friday a four-day visit to France during which he met with a number of high-ranking officials, including Hollande, Premier Manuel Valls, and Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Girault had held meetings during his two-day visit to Lebanon with Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Tammam Salam, Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil, former PM Najib Miqati, al-Mustaqbal bloc head MP Fouad Saniora, Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, Head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea, Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel, Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat and former President Michel Suleiman.

He said during his talks that “France is concerned about the presidential vacuum in Lebanon” and that it is exerting all efforts to help the nation cross that stage.

Lebanon has been left without a president since May, when the tenure of Suleiman ended, because of sharp differences between the rival March 8 and March 14 alliances.

M.T.

D.A.