Reports: Shiite Duo answers Le Drian as opposition coordinates with US, KSA

Hezbollah and Amal have reportedly responded to two questions, included in a letter that the French embassy had sent to the Lebanese MPs, regarding the required qualifications of the future president.

Al-joumhouria newspaper reported Tuesday that it had learned from the Shiite Duo's sources that Amal and Hezbollah have told French special presidential envoy for Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian that they will attend the dialogue.

Le Drian, who is scheduled to return to Lebanon in September, had proposed on his last visit to Lebanon to invite all those taking part in the process of electing a president to a meeting in September to achieve a consensus on the challenges and on the priority projects the future president will have to carry out, and consequently the qualities necessary for tackling them.

Thirty one opposition MPs said in a joint statement last week that "any dialogue with Hezbollah would be futile" and that dialogue should only be held after a president is elected.

The opposition MPs' response to Le Drian's call for dialogue upset and embarrassed the French envoy, media reports said.

A French senator criticized last week the French "interference" in the Lebanese affairs, as she slammed Le Drian for sending questions to the Lebanese MPs, dubbing it as "an insult to the Lebanese."

Before his return to Lebanon, Le Drian will hold talks with the five-nation group on Lebanon -- which comprises in addition to France, the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt -- and will brief the group on the replies he received from the Lebanese MPs in order to decide on the next step, al-Joumhouria said.

Meanwhile another local media, al-Akhbar, claimed that some opposition MPs want to end the French role to start a new phase that will focus on nominating Army chief Joseph Aoun for presidency.

"The Americans and the Saudis are coordinating on a daily basis with opposition lawmakers to torpido any dialogue initiative, until time is appropriate to reveal their presidential candidate," the pro-Hezbollah daily said.