Hezbollah, FPM to issue declaration, Franjieh to show positivity

Dialogue between Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement has made progress on the files of decentralization and the trust fund and will move next week to the file of the presidency, a media report said.

“A declaration containing the results will be issued and will represent a continuation of the Mar Mikhail Agreement and the president’s characteristics, with the possibility that the agreement be announced prior to the return of French envoy (Jean-Yves) Le Drian in mid-September,” ad-Diyar newspaper reported.

Sources informed on the dialogue, specifically after the latest lengthy meeting between FPM chief Jebran Bassil and Hezbollah official Wafiq Safa, meanwhile said that Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh will soon visit Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi and will “take positive steps towards the FPM.”

“Speaker Nabih Berri is also relieved over the atmosphere between Hezbollah and the FPM,” the sources said.

According to information obtained by ad-Diyar, a possible agreement between Bassil and Franjieh would “open the door to the Progressive Socialist Party to change its stance after Bassil would have provided a Christian cover for Franjieh, something that the PSP had demanded.”

“This development would also open the doors to the National Moderation Bloc to vote for Franjieh,” the daily added.