"An-Nahar" indicated that according to what it revealed days ago about the return date of the French presidential envoy to Lebanon, Jean-Yves Le Drian, on September 11, this date was officially confirmed yesterday from Paris. This means that the beginning of next week will mark the start of "Chapter 3" of the envoy's extraordinary mission assigned to him by President Emmanuel Macron, although there are widespread doubts regarding whether "the third time is the charm" in Le Drian's success in breaking through the obstinate Lebanese presidential crisis, which has resisted various mediations, dialogues, and initiatives until now.
Le Drian will arrive in Beirut for the third time as a presidential envoy responsible for following up on the presidential crisis while the resonances of conflicting internal positions regarding his message to the deputies and then urging Speaker Nabih Berri to hold a dialogue, preceding consecutive sessions, intensify. It remains unclear what clear prospects could emerge from the crisis, whether regarding dialogue outcomes or the potential to break free from the presidential vacancy, despite the noticeable advances in scenarios related to the possibility of expediting the election of a president.
Moreover, this heated climate is not separate from the urgent and dangerous file concerning the significant increase in Syrian infiltrations into Lebanon through smuggling operations across the Syrian-Lebanese border. This matter has become one of the most pressing and dangerous priorities, especially following the alarming numbers entering Lebanon, which would exacerbate already unprecedented burdens and complexities across various security, economic, and social levels that Lebanon can no longer afford to bear.
Thus, Le Drian's arrival on Monday will coincide with a special session for the Cabinet scheduled for Monday morning, which will focus "on developments regarding the Syrian displacement issue, particularly the illegal infiltration of displaced persons," as stated in the call from the Cabinet General Secretariat to the ministers.
Returning to Le Drian's mission, close associates noted yesterday to Agence France-Presse that the former foreign minister "will be in Lebanon on Monday," without further details on his schedule. Le Drian had suggested holding a meeting with all Lebanese political actors in September to reach a consensus that would allow ending the ongoing presidential vacancy for about a year.
An-Nahar's correspondent in Paris, Samir Touini, reported that during his third round with influential political forces, Le Drian will engage in bilateral discussions with all parties regarding their perspectives and conclusions to reach a solution that leads to filling the presidential vacancy, based on the responses they provided during his previous two rounds of talks.
A senior source at the Élysée Palace confirmed last Wednesday that discussions will definitely address the Lebanon file during President Macron's participation in the G20 meetings in India from September 9 to 11, adding, "I cannot guarantee in advance the content of his discussions, but you know where our interests lie with regard to Lebanon and our stance. Therefore, the president will work with Mohammed bin Salman to enhance Jean Yves Le Drian’s mission in Lebanon. You know that Jean-Yves Le Drian went to Saudi Arabia for discussions on this matter, and we will continue to move forward together on this issue."
Thus, it can be inferred that Paris is relying on effective Saudi support for its initiative to elect a president for the republic as soon as possible. This initiative is based on a quasi-consensus among the members of the Quintet, especially since security concerns have started to escalate due to a fragile regional situation. Diplomatic sources revealed to An-Nahar that the Quintet will convene on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in the second half of this September, and will finalize the conditions for a solution after Le Drian has met with the Lebanese political forces in his push to resolve the presidential stalemate.
The Quintet may issue a statement, similar to previous consensus, outlining a roadmap to achieve a solution to the Lebanese crisis and the conditions for the group to provide necessary assistance to revitalize the economy. It is worth mentioning that as part of the internal movements, a meeting took place between several opposition deputies and the "Free Patriotic Movement," during which both sides reaffirmed their continued consensus in support of the candidacy of former minister Jihad Azour.
