Arab and international winds are blowing in favor of nominating Army Chief General Joseph Aoun for the presidency. According to information from "Nidaa Al-Watan," the Quintet Committee for Lebanon is moving towards endorsing the Army Chief's candidacy, with Qatar responsible for presenting him to Iran due to the ties between the two countries. This information emerges ahead of the arrival of the French presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian to Beirut next Monday, while President Nabih Berri's presidential dialogue initiative appears to be faltering against a backdrop of polemics that erupted yesterday between Berri's circles and the "Free Patriotic Movement," which seems supportive of this initiative.
What are the details of this shift in the Quintet's position? According to sources closely connected to the committee speaking to "Nidaa Al-Watan," the “Quintet” is now entirely in a phase of looking for a second opportunity in the presidential race and considering a new candidate, though this does not necessarily mean that this opportunity will succeed. The focus at this time is fully on the opportunity linked to the Army Chief, and all necessary pressure will be exerted in this direction. This pressure may yield positive results or may not, depending on internal obstacles that arise.
The sources add: "We have now seriously entered the phase of the Army Chief. There is pressure and momentum in this direction. Qatar has been tasked with taking charge of this matter, both domestically and with Iran, in an attempt to push this phase towards the choice of the chief. However, if matters reach an impasse, we will consider other options. There is a firm conviction in Lebanon that there can be no president without a consensus area among the Lebanese, which is essential for re-establishing the necessary stability and institutional order."
It concluded by saying: "Le Drian's upcoming visit to Lebanon will be his last before Qatar takes on the task from the French side, given Doha's relationship with Iran and other parties on behalf of the 'Quintet.' Qatar will move towards working on the second opportunity for the presidential entitlement, following a prolonged vacuum since the end of October."
