Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri expected in an interview with "Al-Akhbar" newspaper, "the return of the French special envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian to Beirut between July 16 and 17." He did not rule out that Le Drian's second visit could precede a tour to countries in the region concerned about Lebanon and its issues, such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and possibly Iran.
According to the Speaker, the French envoy is returning with a project for dialogue that will bring together Lebanese factions, although the specifics are not yet clear, including whether it will be held in Lebanon or abroad and whether it will be purely Lebanese or under French or international auspices. However, he emphasized that "the natural place for a national dialogue in Lebanon is the Parliament. Each bloc can authorize its leader to represent it at the dialogue table," pointing out that "the mechanism of dialogue and who will manage it are unclear." He confirmed that he currently considers himself a party like the others after announcing his support for the candidacy of the head of the "Moustaqbal Movement" Sleiman Frangieh.
Regarding Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rahi's remarks yesterday, addressing the factions abstaining from dialogue by stating that the alternative is an international conference, Berri noted that this was the first time the Patriarch "addressed those who do not want dialogue and urged them to do so," criticizing the factions for "prioritizing their personal interests over the public interest."
When asked whether he expected the government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati to issue new appointments, Berri replied: "I am in favor of necessary appointments, regardless of what those appointments may be. In a caretaker government, necessities permit prohibited actions. They do not want a functioning parliament, nor a functioning cabinet, nor do we agree on electing a president. If the failure to elect a president is a mistake we are all accountable for, what about the other institutions that are being paralyzed in the current circumstances? The Army Commander cannot leave the country for even one minute because the army becomes without a leader."
