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Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French presidential envoy, is scheduled to land in Beirut early next week. He aims to collect answers from multiple parliamentary blocs and MPs regarding the two questions he raised concerning the future president’s agenda and profile. According to French sources, the number of response messages fell below the 38 messages that were sent by Le Drian, resulting in a disparity. Although the precise count was not disclosed, it was mentioned that it closely corresponded to the number of messages conveyed by Le Drian .
As per the same sources, entities that did not answer Le Drian’s questions will not face any adverse consequences. The French envoy is prepared to re-establish communication with those who could have significantly eased his mission by providing a written response, considering that he possesses documents that distinctly convey the standpoint of certain MPs and parliamentary blocs. While the exact purpose of Le Drian’s upcoming visit remains unclear, it is expected to align with the pattern of his two previous visits.
According to French sources, the Speaker of Parliament’s call for dialogue to elect a president does not conflict with Le Drian’s mission. Whether it occurs collectively or bilaterally, this dialogue is deemed necessary. Consequently, the French envoy may also proceed with his one-on-one meetings with Lebanese parties.
Le Drian is still operating under the authorization granted to him during the Doha meeting for Lebanon, which included the Group of Five (France, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt), as reported by the same sources. However, this does not rule out the possibility that some of these countries may also dispatch their envoys to Lebanon to explore solutions to the Lebanese crisis, with a particular emphasis on electing a president.
According to local news, the failure of Nabih Berri’s invitation for a dialogue in parliament may hinder Le Drian’s mission. This is because the “Shiite duo,” consisting of Hezbollah and the Amal movement, is expected to become more unwavering in its support for its presidential candidate, Sleiman Frangieh, leader of the Marada party. Such steadfast allegiance could potentially lead to the failure of Le Drian’s mission, carrying significant consequences for the tandem. It is noteworthy that Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri appears to be the primary potential target of these repercussions, as there are indications that potential sanctions may be directed towards him as well as other officials and political leaders.
