Report: Hopes on Paris meeting over Lebanon 'exaggerated'
The hopeful expectations regarding a five-party meeting over Lebanon in Paris are "exaggerated", prominent political sources told al-Akhbar newspaper, in remarks published Monday.
According to the sources, the hopes that the meeting next week between the U.S., France, Qatar, Egypt and KSA will reach a settlement that would help Lebanon get out of its political and financial crisis, are "overrated."
"The problem is that the participants have different interests and conditions, especially Saudi Arabia as it refuses any settlement against its interests," the sources said.
They added that this "hard-line position" will hinder reaching a solution regarding the presidential file, the International Monetary Fund agreement, and financial and political reforms in Lebanon.
30 January 2023, 18:19
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U.S., France, Qatar, Egypt and KSA have announced that Article 24 of the Lebanese Constitution, which assigns half of its parliament's seats to Christians, who make up about a quarter of the population, is the root of Lebanon's woes. Now that the US has retired, France declined into gentility, and the three Arab despotisms noted the writing on the wall, the five see the future in broad-based legitimacy based on mutual respect and rule of law.
