Report: International Powers Unenthusiastic over Hariri Initiative
The initiative launched by Mustaqbal Movement leader MP Saad Hariri to nominate Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh as president as part of a greater deal to end the political deadlock in Lebanon has lost steam as evidenced by the lack of local and international backing for the plan, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Wednesday.
It said that only Saudi Arabia, France, and the United States are pushing for the adoption of the settlement.
“Other regional powers, which consider themselves concerned with the situation in Lebanon, have not made any indication or taken any stance that may demonstrate that they stand behind the initiative,” it noted.
“In fact, it seems that, at best, these sides are not keen on the initiative,” it added.
A source concerned with the presidential elections told al-Joumhouria that the silence over the initiative, in Lebanon and abroad, demonstrates that the vacuum will last a few more months.
Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of a successor.
Ongoing disputes between the rival March 8 and 14 camps over a compromise candidate have thwarted the polls.
Hariri had been pushing for the election of Franjieh as president in order to end the political deadlock, but this step has been met by reservations from his allies in the March 14 camp, as well as Franjieh's allies in the March 8 camp.
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