Gemayel to Meet Hariri in Paris as Jumblat Arrives for 'Private Trip'
A meeting is expected to be held in the French capital Paris between Kataeb Party chief Amin Gemayel and al-Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri.
Al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Friday that the two leaders will hold talks in Paris although no prior appointment was arranged with Hariri.
Gemayel headed to France on Thursday to meet with Hariri and tackle with him the latest developments in Lebanon and the region, al-Liwaa newspaper said.
Sources close to the two parties didn't confirm or deny plans for such a meeting.
Meanwhile, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat also traveled on Thursday to Paris for a private visit.
Al-Joumhouria had reported that a tripartite meeting would be held between Hariri, Gemayel and Jumblat, but the PSP leader denied that.
Jumblat “tells everyone who exerted efforts to fabricate these reports … that he is visiting Paris on a private trip and has no political meetings on his agenda,” the PSP said in a statement.
The Gemayel-Hariri meeting comes in a bid to reach a breakthrough concerning the country's political impasse and ahead of an expected meeting between Hariri and French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday.
Lebanon has been without a president since May when the tenure of Michel Suleiman ended.
Parliament has been unable to legislate over the boycott of several blocs, including the March 14 alliance's lawmakers and Change and Reform MPs. The paralysis is linked to the presidential deadlock.
The majority of the March 8 alliance's MPs have been causing a lack of quorum in sessions aimed at electing a president, leaving the country without a head of state.
H.K./Y.R.
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