Report: Hollande to Visit Lebanon Sunday, Hold Talks with Suleiman
French President Francois Hollande is set to arrive in Beirut on Sunday for a three-hour visit to meet with his Lebanese counterpart President Michel Suleiman, As Safir newspaper reported.
A diplomatic source told the newspaper published on Friday that the “significance of this visit is that it comes amid the delicate situation that Lebanon and the region are passing through.”
“It indicates the international community's keenness to safeguard Lebanon and prevent any negative repercussions” from having an impact on the country, the source said.
It pointed out that “this visit is to express France's solidarity with Lebanon and its support to the constitutional institutions in the country... as it backs Suleiman's efforts to maintain stability and security.”
The source noted that France is committed to Lebanon's “security, stability, independence and sovereignty.”
Later, a high-ranking official at Suleiman's office confirmed the report.
"President Hollande will visit Beirut for a few hours on Sunday for talks with President Sleiman," the official said, explaining that they will have breakfast together and then hold a press conference."
The political crisis in Lebanon deepened the gap between the March 14-led opposition and the March 8 alliance after the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Wissam al-Hasan on October 19.
Suleiman is carrying out consultations with various political powers on the possibility of resuming the all-party talks, however, the opposition insists on the resignation of the cabinet as a main condition to continue any political activity with its foes, while the March 8 coalition rejects the formation of a new government on allegations that there's no alternative.
Hollande, according to As Safir, will also hold a joint press conference with Suleiman.
His trip will be the first by a French president since the previous head of state, Nicolas Sarkozy, visited in June 2008.
The newspaper reported that Prime Minister Najib Miqati will reconsider his scheduled visit to France on November 18 in light of Holland's “sudden” visit to Beirut.
The report noted that Miqati is set to kick off a European tour on Sunday including to Bulgaria and Hungary.
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