On the second day of his visit to Lebanon, the French presidential envoy broke his diplomatic reticence and candidly addressed his interlocutors about the "deadlock" that his initiative has encountered. He sought their assistance in proposing a "compromise" to resolve the stalemate regarding the presidential election, which is caught between a resistance that demands dialogue before the elections and an opposition that insists on following the constitution, which requires that elections take place first.
According to a reading by "Nidaa al-Watan" from sources that followed Loderian's meetings yesterday, it became clear that during his discussions, he felt he was in a predicament and was uncertain about how to leave Lebanon with a tangible achievement, realizing that his goal has not yet been achieved. In his sessions with the opposition, he stated that the resistance team insists on dialogue as a mandatory path for electing the president. Conversely, the opposition remains firm on having presidential elections before engaging in dialogue. He asked, "What do we do?" and said, "Give me a compromise." He suggested searching for "new ideas to escape the presidential impasse, as we cannot remain as we are today."
In return, the opposition informed him: "While it is true that we cannot remain in the current situation, the solution lies in applying the constitution." They emphasized that the resistance is proposing "what is outside the constitution and norms to impose an unacceptable fait accompli." Loderian then asked his interlocutors again, "What can I do? I do not hold you responsible, nor vice versa." The response was, "Paris must adopt the application of the constitution. There is a team that has obstructed the election process for 13 sessions and wants to impose dialogue outside the constitution. We know where all past dialogue experiences have led us. France must take responsibility in this matter."
What is the summary of Loderian's second day of communications? The same sources responded: "Loderian realizes where his impasse lies now, which is manifested in a 'stato quo' that prevents either side from imposing itself. A new phase must be pursued, and he is convinced of this. However, to move into this phase, he wants something to facilitate a session with consecutive rounds. This means Loderian believes there is a step backward that must be taken without any side bearing the consequences of this retreat. The opposition told the French envoy that any retreat would be unhelpful; rather, they must proceed unhesitatingly to commit to applying the constitution. Once again, Loderian reiterated that the resistance does not want to apply the constitution, to which the opposition responded again: 'This is the resistance's problem, not ours.'"
The sources believe Loderian's "impasse" stems from seeing the Qatari side entering the scene within the "quintet." He is also aware that the Qataris have been assigned a role, with a mandate from the Saudi side that has made it clear: "A president from outside the alignment is required," which means that the resistance's candidate, Suleiman Frangieh, will not succeed. However, the Saudis do not want to challenge the Iranians or break them; at the same time, they do not wish to give Iran a victory, so the Sunnis will not vote for Frangieh. The French believe, based on Riyadh's position, that Frangieh has lost his chances and will not be supported by Sunnis, Druze, or several change-makers. Nevertheless, Loderian does not want his role to end. He fears that the Qataris may influence the Iranians. If they do, the presidency may come through Qatar, rendering the French effort futile. On this impasse, Loderian appeared tense yesterday, his unspoken sentiment suggesting: "You are closing doors in my face, and I won't get anywhere." The opposition responded once more: "Think about what you want, but we will not consider any means outside the constitution."
On another note, sources following the French envoy's tour revealed a clear intersection between Speaker Berri's call for dialogue and the French initiative. They anticipated in an interview with "Al-Anbaa" that the anticipated dialogue might occur before the end of September. They suggested that a comprehensive dialogue could be replaced by side or unilateral discussions. Loderian also informed the opposing lawmakers that the president would definitely not be among the names currently circulating, thus emphasizing that this visit represents a final opportunity that should not be wasted.
