French Effort to Prevent Escalation in Lebanon: Expected Visit by Séjourné

"An-Nahar" learned from informed sources in Paris that the French Minister of Foreign Affairs in the resigned government, Stéphane Séjourné, is set to visit Beirut this week as part of an initiative by French President Emmanuel Macron to prevent escalation in the region and to continue monitoring the situation closely. Macron had a phone call yesterday with Jordanian King Abdullah II, specifically to discuss the conditions in the region. It is worth mentioning that Macron has been urging his Foreign Minister for some time to travel to Lebanon and focus on Lebanese and regional issues, even though Séjourné, as the head of Macron's party, dedicates most of his time to addressing matters of French domestic politics. The president's directives reflect his concern for keeping the Lebanese file a priority in order to prevent escalation. It should also be noted that if Séjourné's visit takes place, it will be following the French Foreign Ministry's call for its citizens in Lebanon to leave due to security conditions. "An-Nahar" also learned from a European diplomatic source that Cyprus is ready for the evacuation operation of American and European nationals from Lebanon.