Seemingly, no positive sign regarding the potential for successive sessions to elect a president of the Republic ensued from the meeting of the Quintet ambassadors (USA, France, Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia) with the Speaker of the House, Nabih Berri. Furthermore, Berri did not convey any clear answer regarding the possibility of a dialogue session or any consultations that won’t be under his direct leadership.
Most importantly, the Quintet ambassadors did not detect any willingness from the Shiite duo Amal-Hezbollah to give up their candidate, Sleiman Frangieh, leader of the Marada Movement. One of the ambassadors believes that for the Shiite duo, the time to elect a president isn’t favorable yet.
On the surface, the Speaker of the House seemed cooperative with the Quintet’s ambassadors, conveying his wish to see a president elected as soon as possible. However, for him, this issue hinges first and foremost on securing a consensus. Berri promptly addressed the ambassadors’ questions and clarifications regarding his initiative related to the election of a president of the Republic.
However, the Quintet’s answers are more than clear. The committee’s members assured the Speaker of the House that they were about to begin a second phase, emphasizing the need to expedite the election of a president. They stressed that the risks surrounding Lebanon are increasing, and there may be crucial impending obligations. In this regard, and in the absence of a president, the international community will object to Lebanon’s participation in any dossier.
In this context, the information suggests that the ambassadors will convey to the key Lebanese parties the responses they received from Nabih Berri, albeit not definitive ones. However, they will attempt to secure an agreement from the opposition forces on dialogue sessions within a limited timeframe. This will serve as leverage to exert pressure on Berri and Hezbollah, aiming for compromises regarding the leadership of the dialogue and an open session for the election of a president. Despite being aware of the complexity of this move, the ambassadors are fully aware that Hezbollah will not accept being viewed as having backed down, risking a situation that may not lead to the election of Sleiman Frangieh.
