Report: Backed by 5-nation group, Le Drian tries to sway MPs to attend Berri's dialogue
The 5-nation group on Lebanon -- which comprises the U.S., France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt-- supports a dialogue proposed by Speaker Nabih Berri to end the presidential impasse, Annahar newspaper said.
Berri had called on the Lebanese parties to engage in seven days of dialogue in parliament followed by open-ended electoral sessions to choose a new president.
"Berri asked (French Special Presidential Envoy Jean-Yves) Le Drian if his stance regarding the dialogue is supported by the 5-nation group, and Le Drian confirmed that it is," Ain el-Tineh sources said in remarks published Wednesday in Annahar.
Berri's initiative was rejected by the Lebanese Forces and the Kataeb party. It was also criticized by Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil, who had hailed it at first.
French Special Presidential Envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian agreed Tuesday with Berri that there is no other way but dialogue to end the presidential crisis, Berri said.
Le Drian 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.
"I hope that Berri's initiative will pave the way for a solution," Le Drian said Tuesday as he met Mikati.
Ain el-Tineh sources said that Berri is relieved by the outcome of his meeting with Le Drian, who told him that he will work on convincing the opposers to engage in the seven-day dialogue.
Le Drian is visiting Lebanon for the third time to resume "his good offices mission, initiated last July, in coordination with the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt," the French Embassy in Beirut said.
He will once again meet with all the political players in charge of electing a president to discuss "the priority projects to be addressed by the next President, in order to facilitate the emergence of a consensual solution that will end the institutional crisis."
Source: Naharnet
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/300268 |