A French diplomatic source revealed that French President Emmanuel Macron's envoy to Lebanon, Jean-Yves Le Drian, is currently coordinating on a regional level to determine the direction for the efforts of the Quintet committee. He clarified to "Asharq Al-Awsat" that there are three ideas being focused on at the moment. The first is a conference expected to be held in Lebanon to bring together Lebanese parties and settle the position regarding the election of a new president for the country. While the source avoided labeling this conference as a dialogue, he affirmed the necessity of having an inclusive conference.
The second point under discussion is whether a candidate will be named by the Quintet after consultations with Lebanese parties or not. Finally, the third crucial point is the sanctions that may be imposed on obstructors and the timeframe that may be given to Lebanese leaders before the threats of sanctions are raised. The supporters of this approach argue that the Quintet has exhausted all possible means to convince Lebanese leaders to reach a solution that ends the presidential vacuum that has persisted for more than a year.
The source indicated that Le Drian's current efforts aim to formulate a unified stance intended to send a message to the Lebanese parties about the need to assume their responsibilities, emphasizing that the Quintet and other friends of Lebanon cannot substitute for Lebanese leaders in choosing their president. He expressed astonishment at the complete reliance of the Lebanese political class on external factors, along with their belief that the external community will resolve their issues, and their total surrender to this idea without undertaking any serious actions while waiting for what the outside world will do.
The source told "Asharq Al-Awsat" that Lebanon does not suffer from a constitutional crisis, as the constitution is clear regarding the mechanism for electing the president. It remains for the Lebanese parties to assume their responsibilities in this regard. He noted that the clear message Le Drian will carry from the Quintet to the Lebanese team is that they cannot remain without a president. He considered that there are internal and external reasons that necessitate the swift resolution of the presidential vacancy. Internally, Lebanon is experiencing a real crisis economically and financially, needing to organize its institutions to launch and implement a recovery plan. Externally, there are major developments occurring in the region that the Lebanese must keep pace with; thus, when it comes time to sit at the table, Lebanon's chair cannot be empty. Consequently, if no one speaks for Lebanon, someone else will speak on its behalf.
