France Denies Power Triangle Claims, Stresses Preservation of Taef Power Balance

The French foreign ministry has denied that Paris had proposed the establishment of a so-called power triangle in Lebanon to replace the Taef Accord.

“France is committed to Lebanese consensus which the international community backs,” the ministry's spokesman, Romain Nadal, said during a briefing on Tuesday.

Paris “stresses to everyone in public and private meetings the importance of supporting Lebanese institutions and preserving the balances that have emerged from the Taef Agreement,” he added.

His remarks came the same day French Ambassador to Lebanon Patrice Paoli announced that his country's stance is based on supporting the Lebanese Constitution and the Taef Accord.

Following talks with Prime Minister Tammam Salam at the Grand Serail, Paoli said he expressed France's support for the Lebanese state institutions and for the government.

Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Friday that the March 14 alliance accuses his party and AMAL movement of paralyzing the presidential elections because they are seeking to create a triangle under which the division of power would be among Sunnis, Shiites and Christians.

The Taef agreement has divided power equally among Muslims and Christians.

Nasrallah accused a delegation of French officials of suggesting the issue during a visit to Tehran. But the Iranians rejected it, he said.

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