Qatari team to return to Beirut, Paris may shelve its initiative

A Qatari delegation will return to Lebanon in the next few days to continue its presidential initiative, a media report said on Wednesday.

“It will meet with a number of parliamentary blocs, especially from the opposition, as part of the efforts aimed at unifying their ranks and agreeing on a common presidential candidate,” ad-Diyar newspaper reported.

“It has become known that Doha will back Army chief General Joseph Aoun’s election as president,” the daily added.

Al-Liwaa newspaper meanwhile reported that France has informed Lebanese parties that its presidential initiative “will not last for long.”

“Paris might declare a negative stance before mid-June in the absence of a fundamental and constructive breakthrough,” the daily said.

“There will be a focus on determining the final stances of the MPs who label themselves as not belonging to any camp, on the hope that that might lead to a presidential breakthrough through which some parties can be convinced to reconsider their stances,” al-Liwaa added.