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Gebran Bassil, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), announced on Tuesday, July 11, the potential resumption of dialogue with his estranged ally Hezbollah, a move that came as surprise to many.
As French President Emmanuel Macron’s special envoy for Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian is expected in Lebanon soon, motion about the stalled presidential election appears to have regained some momentum. While no official date has been set for Le Drian’s return for a second round of talks on the eight-months-long presidential crisis, political sources indicate that he could arrive in Lebanon on Monday, July 17.
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Le Drian held talks with Saudi ministerial advisor on Lebanon Nizar Bin Suleiman Al-Aloula in Riyadh on Wednesday, July 12, and would be attending a five-way meeting on the Lebanese crisis that is expected to take place in Qatar later this week.
According to many sources, representatives of the five countries would discuss a specific formula that could be accepted by Lebanon’s rival parties, pertaining to the characteristics of the consensual presidential candidate and the structure of the next government.
Could the political deadlock be resolved by persuading Hezbollah to withdraw its support for the candidacy of Sleiman Frangieh? Probably not. The pro-Iranian faction’s backing of the leader of the Marada Party was once again criticized by Bassil, at a press conference following the weekly meeting of the FPM’s parliamentary bloc.
Bassil has reasserted his support to the opposition’s presidential candidate, former Minister Jihad Azour. “No one should rely on a change in this position in favor of a dialogue,” he said, while expressing his readiness to engage in any kind of dialogue that could end the presidential deadlock.
While revealing that “talks with Hezbollah have resumed,” without providing additional details, Bassil said, “dialogue could take various and numerous forms.”
“From our end, we are talking directly or indirectly with everybody, including the Lebanese Forces, the Kataeb party, few independent and sovereigntist MPs, in addition to the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP). We are also in discussions with the Shiite duo, albeit in a different form,” he added without giving more clarification.
“We have resumed dialogue with Hezbollah with the aim of reaching a solution without pre-conditions,” he said, hoping for “more discussions, which got off to a good start.”
The new dynamic should facilitate the task of Jean-Yves Le Drian who, according to some sources, could be carrying ideas for a dialogue on two levels. At a national level, through political meetings, which Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has already referred to, and at an international level, through a meeting of the five states (France, United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar) concerned with the Lebanese dossier.
Bassil’s revelation about his renewed dialogue with Hezbollah came on the same day (Tuesday) as Iranian ambassador Mojtaba Amani’s visit to Dimane, in north Lebanon, to meet with Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai. Although it could be protocol-oriented, the Iranian diplomat’s visit to the patriarch’s summer seat remains significant, amid reported efforts to reestablish contact between Hezbollah and the patriarchate.
The rapprochement is notably coveted by the pro-Iranian faction, which is becoming increasingly isolated on the local political scene. Hezbollah’s candidate lacks the support of the main Christian political components and the backing of the patriarchate.
The official National News Agency reported that Rai stressed before the Iranian envoy the urgency to elect a President of the Republic, to which the latter responded by assuring his country’s willingness to help Lebanon, a likely expression of courtesy.
