Le Drian returns soon, Doha says continuing its mediation

French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian will return soon to Lebanon and preparations are underway to ensure the success of his visit, media reports said.

Qatari envoy Jassem bin Fahad Al-Thani meanwhile told the Tajaddod bloc that Doha will continue its presidential initiative in a bid to reach an agreement over a “third candidate,” the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported on Friday.

“He clarified that the five-nation committee is working in a unified manner to achieve its mission in Lebanon and that this is manifested in the firm ties between Qatar, Saudi Arabia and France,” the daily said.

“He also emphasized the importance of finalizing the presidential juncture as soon as possible for the sake of achieving Lebanon’s interest and addressing its crises,” the newspaper added.

The members of the bloc for their part stressed that “time should not be wasted in Lebanon, as long as Hezbollah is obstructing the presidential juncture to allow Iran to enter into the file at the time it deems appropriate in order to fulfill its interests.”

“Qatar, which succeeded in its latest mediation between Washington and Tehran, is capable of working with the Iranian regime on facilitating the mission of the five-nation committee in Lebanon, and the same as Iran facilitated the sea demarcation file between Lebanon and Israel, it is capable of granting a presidential green light,” the MPs added, according to Nidaa al-Watan.