Presidential vote: Latest developments ahead of Oct.13 session

Parliament is due to convene on Thursday to elect a new President, two days after Lebanon reached a "satisfying" border agreement with Israel that could be signed before the end of President Michel Aoun's term of office on October 31.

The FPM said they would boycott the session on October 13, which marks the anniversary of Aoun's ouster at the end of the civil war in 1990 when the Syrian Army stormed the Baabda Palace, killing hundreds of Lebanese soldiers and civilians.

Meanwhile, FPM chief Jebran Bassil announced a "presidential priorities" paper that he submitted to Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi and President Aoun, urging for a national dialogue.

The Lebanese Forces reportedly said Wednesday that they will not accept to meet with Bassil over the presidential paper, as the latter said he will contact parliamentary blocs and leaders to propose to them the FPM's "presidential priorities."

Weeks ago, the parliament held a first presidential election round in which no candidate managed to garner 86 votes needed to win from the first round.

MP Michel Mouawad, who garnered 36 votes in the first session, met Tuesday with the majority-Sunni MPs of the moderation bloc, who had voted "Lebanon" during the last session.

Asharq al-Awsat newspaper reported Wednesday that it had learned from parliamentary sources that Mouawad's allies have contacted the moderation MPs to convince them of voting for Mouawad.

Meanwhile, the change MPs mentioned three new names, after having voted in the first session to entrepreneur and philanthropist Salim Eddeh.

MP Najat Aoun from the bloc said that the MPs are discussing the three names of ex-ministers Ziad Baroud and Nassif Hitti, and ex-MP Salah Honein.

The name of Baroud has lately emerged as a leading candidate, al-Akhbar newspaper reported Wednesday.

It added that the name of Baroud is not just supported by the change MPs but also by France, according to French diplomatic sources, who told the daily that France is starting to lean toward Baroud over Army chief General Joseph Aoun.

Paris, the daily said, is maintaining its dialogue with Hezbollah "on the presidential file and other sensitive security files," and is directly coordinating with the group to reach a presidential exit.

"Paris does not want to bypass Hezbollah and is trying to discuss consensual candidates," al-Akhbar said, adding that "if France succeeds to convince Saudi Arabia with its plan, politically and financially, it will consider that as an important achievement in its foreign policy."

Hezbollah MPs will cast blank votes in Thursday's session, al-Jadeed TV said.

In the last presidential election session, Hezbollah and its allies had also cast blank ballots.