Le Drian, Mikati say President to likely be elected soon after 'positive' talks

A president will likely be elected soon, French Special Presidential Envoy for Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Friday.

The PM's office said that Le Drian called Mikati and both assured that Le Drian's talks in Lebanon were "positive" regarding the "imminent election of a president."

Le Drian is visiting Lebanon to resume "his good offices mission, initiated last July, in coordination with the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt," the French Embassy in Beirut said.

He met with all the political players in charge of electing a president to discuss "the priority projects to be addressed by the next President, in order to facilitate the emergence of a consensual solution that will end the institutional crisis."

Local media reports said Friday that Le Drian will return to Beirut within days to hold a meeting at the Pine residence. The meeting will discuss the responses that Le Drian received from the Lebanese political parties to a letter he had sent via the French embassy, in which he asked MPs about the required qualifications of the future president.

Le Drian met during his four-day visit to Lebanon with Mikati, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Free Patriotic Movement Jebran Bassil, Marada leader Suleiman Franjieh, Army chief Gen. Joseph Aoun, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, Kataeb leader Sami Gemayel, Maronite Patriarch Beshara Al-Rahi, and independent and Change MPs. He also met with Sunni MPs and Saudi Ambassador Walid Bukhari in Yarze.

Before leaving Beirut on Friday, Le Drian met again with Berri, who had reportedly said he is awaiting a feedback from Le Drian after he ends his meetings, to act accordingly.

Berri and Le Drian had both called for a dialogue in September. After meeting Le Drian on Wednesday Berri said that Le Drian supported his dialogue initiative and agreed with him that there is no other way but dialogue to end the presidential crisis.